TRANSPORT

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on railways in the south-east before the summer recess.

John Spellar: My right hon. Friend takes an interest in all aspects of the rail system throughout the country, and will make statements to the House on rail matters as and when appropriate.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent (a) support and (b) guidance has been given by his Department to the SRA and the rail industry regarding (i) the re-opening of rail stations and (ii) the development of new lines and stations; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Government's priorities for the Strategic Rail Authority are as set out in the Secretary of State's Directions and Guidance. The Strategic Rail Authority's priorities for implementation are set out in the Strategic Plan.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what changes (a) have taken place and (b) are planned with relation to the penalty regime in the railway industry; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what (a) guidance has been given and (b) legislation is in place with regard to the penalty regime of the railways; what plans there are to change them; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent (a) discussions have taken place and (b) assessment there has been of the role of the penalty regime of the railways; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: During the periodic review of Railtrack's access charges by the Rail Regulator in 2000, a thorough review of the incentive regime was carried out. The payment rates were raised to broadly double their previous levels in order to improve incentives to run trains punctually. Similarly, the SRA are incorporating increases in train operator's incentive rates as new franchises are let.
	The SRA is currently considering whether a more wide-ranging review of incentive regimes would be appropriate to reinforce the rail industry's drive to improve performance.

Investment Projects

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the transport investment projects that his Department expects to receive final approval in the next 12 months.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State will announce his final decisions in due course.

Ministerial Travel

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last travelled by train on Government business.

Alistair Darling: I last travelled by train yesterday afternoon.

Train Protection Warning Systems (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of rail track in Scotland are fitted with train protection warning systems; and what percentage this represents of the total rail track in Scotland.

David Jamieson: The fitment programme for the train protection and warning system (TPWS) is based on the number of sites to be fitted not miles of track. Railtrack advises that in Scotland TPWS is to be installed at approximately 1,600 sites by the end of 2003. To date TPWS has been installed at 1,109 sites, of which 955 are now operational and 154 are currently being tested.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  which assets under the PPP of London Underground are defined as grey assets; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with (a) London Transport, (b) Transport for London and (c) Ernst and Young, on grey assets under the PPP of the London Underground; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Grey assets are defined in the PPP contracts as those assets where a full condition assessment has not been possible, either for access reasons or lack of historical data. They tend to be older heavy civil engineering assets such as retaining walls or brick arch tunnels. The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions on such assets.

Transport 10-year Plan

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department expects to respond to the Transport, Local Government and the Regions Committee on the 10-year transport plan; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We will aim to respond to the Committee's report within two months of its publication in line with the normal convention.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer, on Prestwick, of 20 June 2002, Official Report, column 507W, what air traffic levels would make it financially prudent to commence further work at the new Scottish centre; and what current levels are.

David Jamieson: The completion of the new Scottish centre depends on both air traffic levels and NATS' capital investment plan. Completion is expected to be during 2008 or 2009. NATS is currently engaged with suppliers in evaluating systems.
	Air traffic movements in Scottish air space in the first 12 weeks of the current financial year total 122,627.

Rural White Paper

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department will make towards implementing the Government's commitment in the Rural White Paper to protect the countryside for its own sake; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport remains committed to ensuring transport fully contributes to sustaining and improving the English countryside. Since the publication of the Rural White Paper in 2000, we have, for instance:
	begun to introduce low noise surfaces on the existing trunk road network. By 2010, 60 per cent. of the network should have a low noise surface, substantially cutting road traffic noise in rural areas;
	ensured that the impacts on the environment and countryside of any new road proposals—whether for the trunk road network or proposed by local highway authorities—are clearly identified and appraised using our New Approach to Appraisal; and
	continued to work with local highway authorities and the Countryside Agency in order to develop local traffic management measures, which can help preserve the tranquillity of the countryside.

Annual Leave

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average annual leave entitlement is for staff in his Department in 2002.

David Jamieson: For staff below the Senior Civil Service in the Department, including the agencies, the average annual leave entitlement in 2002 is 28 days. For staff in the Senior Civil Service in the Department, including the agencies, the annual leave entitlement in 2002 is 30 days.

Operators' Licences

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a question about financial standing has been added to application forms for an operator's licence; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Holders of licences to operate heavy goods vehicles or passenger service vehicles are required by law to have available sufficient financial resources to maintain their vehicles in a roadworthy condition and to run a viable business. Licence application forms contain questions about financial resources to enable the licensing authority to decide if the applicant meets the criteria for financial standing. These questions are not a new addition to the forms.

Learner Drivers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to require the use of dual controls by learner drivers for a specified period of time.

David Jamieson: We want to improve novice driver safety—young and newly qualified drivers have a poor safety record compared to older, more experienced drivers. However, we have no evidence to suggest that the learning process is dangerous and no plans to require the compulsory use of dual controls in vehicles driven by learners. We consider that learner drivers should gain more experience before they take the driving test and earlier this year we issued a consultation paper on ways to achieve this. This included an option to introduce a mandatory requirement for a minimum amount of professional tuition.
	Research indicates that a mix of professional tuition and plenty of practice with friends or relatives is the best way to learn to drive and our initial view was that the introduction of compulsory professional tuition is not justified. Nevertheless we will be considering carefully all the views we receive on this issue before taking a final decision.

Coastguard Helicopter (Portland)

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has held with the MCA relating to the removal of the coastguard helicopter from Portland.

David Jamieson: I met with my hon. Friend the member for Dorset South and the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 13 June 2002 to discuss the helicopter base at Portland.

Aircraft Movements

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the daily average number of aircraft movements was for each of the 15 busiest airports in the United Kingdom over the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The average daily number of aircraft movements at the 15 busiest airports in the United Kingdom over the last five years is reported in the table. These statistics relate to commercial movements only and exclude flights undertaken for private military and training purposes as well as business aviation.
	
		Average daily commercial aircraft movements
		
			 Airport 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Heathrow 1,180 1,212 1,235 1,262 1,255 
			 Gatwick 629 665 676 693 673 
			 Manchester 404 446 466 489 502 
			 Stansted 231 287 372 402 419 
			 Birmingham 219 242 271 299 305 
			 Edinburgh 197 208 232 244 274 
			 Glasgow 224 236 242 248 263 
			 Aberdeen 238 250 227 226 243 
			 Luton 110 131 151 164 164 
			 London City 90 103 116 137 150 
			 Belfast International 96 107 123 118 130 
			 Newcastle 116 118 119 120 127 
			 East Midlands 112 118 117 119 120 
			 Belfast City 91 95 91 91 92

South Coast Multi-Modal Study

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs were of the South Coast multi-modal study broken down by (a) staff and (b) other costs.

David Jamieson: The current cost of contract for the South Coast multi-modal study is £1,727,000 (excluding VAT). This figure incorporates (a) staff and (b) other costs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Committee on the Implementation of Projects Promoting Co-operation and Commercial Relations between the European Union and the Industrialised Countries of North America, the Far East and Australasia is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: EC Council Regulation 382/2001 provides for a programme of measures and actions to complement and bring added value to the efforts undertaken by member states and other European public bodies in the Japanese market, and establishes a Committee to assist the Commission in the implementation of this programme. This Regulation also provides for co-operative activities between the EC on the one hand and North America and Australasia on the other, but the Committee has had no role in these activities. The Committee has met once in the last 12 months. A British Trade International official represents the UK. It is impossible to calculate the cost of its work to public funds without incurring disproportionate cost. The Committee is currently considering the detailed arrangements for the EU trade promotion campaign towards Japan "Gateway to Japan III". Any European Community proposal that goes to the Council of Ministers would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny procedures.
	Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to 'simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission'. As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (COM(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through the website.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on Opening Up Public Contracts is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The EC Advisory Committee on Opening Up Public Contracts is composed of up to 25 independent experts whose business and industrial experience, and whose competence regarding public procurement, are widely recognised. The Committee assists the Commission in assessing the economic, technical, legal and social aspects of public procurement. It has no decision taking powers.
	The European Commission appoints the members of the Committee after consultation with business and industry. The representatives from the UK are Dr. Sue Arrowsmith, Professor of Law at the university of Nottingham and Mr. Colin Maund, Chairman of the CBI's Public Procurement Contract Group.
	The Committee has met on three occasions over the last year. There is no cost to public funds.
	The issues discussed during the last meeting of the Committee were: electronic purchasing; the Remedies Directives; the European Parliament vote on the new legislative package; in-house contracts.

Unfair Dismissal

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will review its unfair dismissal procedure; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The Employment Bill contains proposals for amendments to certain aspects of the unfair dismissal legislation. My Department has no plans to review the legislation.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of CS pellets to Malaysia where the final end-use destination was in a different country.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of CS pellets is controlled under entries ML3, ML4 and ML7 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.
	Between 2 May 1997 and 10 June 2002 three Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the rating ML4 where the consignee was in Malaysia and the end user was in a different country. During that same period there were no SIELs issued covering the ratings ML3 and ML7 where the consignee was in Malaysia and the end user was in a different country. This information should be considered in light of the answer tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–71.
	The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all SIELs and OIELs are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published soon.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what end-use documentation British companies are required to supply when applying for licences for small arms exports to (a) EU or NATO countries and (b) non-EU or non-NATO countries.

Nigel Griffiths: Applications to export small arms to Government bodies in any country would normally need to be supported by an end-user undertaking. In certain circumstances a purchase order, or a copy of the relevant pages from a contract might be accepted in lieu of an undertaking.
	Special arrangements apply to the transfer of small arms to non-Government end users in EU member states under the provisions of the EC Directive on Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Weapons "the EC Weapons Directive" (91/477/EEC). Exporters are required to obtain prior import consent from the receiving member state and complete certain transfer documentation.
	For exports of small arms to non-Government end users in non EU countries, DTI would normally require, in addition to an end-user undertaking, to see a copy of an import permit or some other form of declaration issued by the authorities of the importing state to confirm that they were content for the individual or dealer to possess the weapons in the licence application.
	In addition, at the request of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an export licence for small arms to destinations covered by the moratorium on the Import, Export and Manufacture of Light Weapons will not be issued unless the ECOWAS Secretariat have issued confirmation that ECOWAS Governments have been consulted and are content.

Arms Export Licences

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on the grant of export licences for sale of arms to India and Pakistan.

Nigel Griffiths: All relevant export licence applications for India and Pakistan are considered on a case-by-case basis in the context of the current situation in the region, against the Consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, and in the light of my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter statement of 15 March 2002, Official Report, columns 1296–98W. The Consolidated Criteria include a specific reference to the preservation of regional peace, security and stability.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my noble Friend the Lord Sainsbury of Turville in another place on 28 May 2002, Official Report, columns 1147–1149.

Staff Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Department has spent on staff training and development in each of the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI is a recognised Investor in People.
	The following table provides detail of the spend on staff training and development for the period for which the information at the level requested is readily available, together with the percentage of the total gross running costs this represents.
	
		
			  Year Total staff training and development expenditure (£ million) Staff training and development as a percentage of gross running costs(1) 
		
		
			 1998–99 3.2 1.3 
			 1999–2000 4.5 1.7 
			 2000–01 4.0 1.4 
			 2001–02 4.9 1.6 
		
	
	(1) Excludes ACAS, Employment Tribunals Service, Insolvency Service, Radiocommunications Agency and the National Weights and Measures Laboratory.

Meetings

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Ministers and officials had meetings with representatives of (a) the Confederation of British Industry, (b) the Engineering Employees Federation, and (c) the Engineering Marine Training Authority during the last year; who they met; and what the subjects and outcomes of their discussions were.

Patricia Hewitt: Ministers and civil servants have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development and analysis.
	As with previous Administrations it is not this Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists.

Members of Parliament (Personal Data)

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information is held by her Department on each hon. Member in relation to (a) personal relationships, both current and past, (b) financial status and dealings, (c) connections with companies and interest groups, (d) connections with Governments and (e) published works; and what was held in January 2002.

Patricia Hewitt: Ministers and officials in this Department have access to published reference sources, as well as to the information about hon. Members made publicly available by the House authorities, for the purpose of parliamentary business.

Telecommunications (Lane Rentals)

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has made to the Department of Transport regarding section 74A of the New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991 and the potential effects the powers will have on the ability of telecommunication companies to build high bandwidth networks.

Stephen Timms: Pilot schemes to test powers under which local authorities can charge utility companies lane rental, whenever the latter dig up highways to install or maintain their apparatus, began in Camden and Middlesbrough on 4 March 2002 and are due to continue until March 2004.
	The Department for Transport have appointed consultants to produce a balanced assessment of the impact of the lane rental pilots, both in terms of the effect of lane rental on the disruption caused by utility works and the costs which it imposes on those utilities. We await their first monitoring report which is due to be delivered in late autumn.
	The effects on the roll out of broadband and 3G mobile networks will be taken into account before any final decision on the national implementation of lane rental charging is made.

Coal Industry

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to maintain aid to the UK coal industry.

Brian Wilson: I am very pleased that we have reached agreement on a new European coal state aid regime. We fought hard to secure the flexibility to pay investment aid, and I am delighted that we have been successful. We are currently considering how the flexibility might most appropriately be used.

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  for what reason she has not answered the letters of 30 November 2001 and 10 January, from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West;
	(2)  for what reason she has not answered the written question from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (ref 51382), of 18 April.

Melanie Johnson: I have today responded to the hon. Member's letter which does not appear to have been previously received by this Department.

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answers of 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 796W; 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 678W; and 14 February 2002, Official Report, column 518W, when she expects to reply to the letters of 30 November 2001 and 10 January 2002 from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West.

Melanie Johnson: I have today responded to the hon. Members' letter which does not appear to have been previously received by this Department.

World Trade

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1128W, on GATS, if she will make a statement on progress in her Department's meetings with WTO members on the drafting of a clarification of the GATS exclusion of public services.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department's contacts with other WTO members suggest that most prefer to rely on the "bottom-up" approach to scheduling commitments as the means of ensuring the exclusion of public services.

World Trade

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1128W, on GATS, if she will make a statement of progress on the WTO services negotiations as to whether Article VI of the GATS will apply to all service sectors.

Patricia Hewitt: There has been no substantive progress on this issue, which remains under discussion among WTO members.

Consignia

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many directors of Consignia plc have (a) resigned and (b) been replaced in the past two years.

Stephen Timms: Neville Bain, chairman since March 1998, left the company on 31 December 2001. He was replaced by Allan Leighton. Other recent changes are that David Mills joined the board on 15 April 2002 as chief executive of Post Office Ltd., a subsidiary of Consignia plc. Marisa Cassoni joined the board on 1 February 2001 as finance director. Allan Leighton joined the board as a non-executive director on 2 April 2001. Mike Kinski, non-executive director, left the company on 12 February 2002. The company is currently recruiting new non-executive directors. Also worth noting is that John Roberts, chief executive officer, has announced that he will retire by the end of 2002 and the process of recruiting his successor is now under way.

Post Office

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if she will publish the terms of the Chairman's performance linked remuneration at the Post Office;
	(2)  whether the Chairman of the Post Office will receive a bonus if the Post Office loses less than it did in the current year.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 20 June 2002
	Allan Leighton's basic fee for part-time Chairmanship of Consignia is £20,000 per annum. The performance-related element of his remuneration package, linked to delivery of the company's strategic plan, is being finalised and will be made public.

Post Office Network

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 28 January 2002, Official Report, column 66W, on the Post Office network, if she will list the funding allocated to each initiative under the sub-post office scheme.

Stephen Timms: The funding allocated to each initiative approved under the Sub-Post Office Start-Up Capital Subsidy Scheme as at end May 2002 was as follows:
	
		£ 
		
			 Office County/Country Grant awarded 
		
		
			 Capel Le Ferne Kent 20,000.00 
			 Holcombe Devon 20,000.00 
			 Kirk Ireton Derbyshire 8,572.32 
			 Buriton Hampshire 16,730.15 
			 Risbury Herefordshire 208.00 
			 Goadby Marwood Leicestershire 1,792.75 
			 Struan Scotland 3,897.73 
			 Coleby Lincolnshire 3,862.00 
			 Henstridge Somerset 10,475.16 
			 Deri Wales 15,738.25 
			 Almondbank Scotland 17,750.00 
			 Acton Trussell Staffordshire 1,051.00 
			 Henlow Bedfordshire 9,598.83 
			 Bernisdale Scotland 11,131.00 
			 Winteringham Lincolnshire 6,022.20 
			 Lubenham Leicestershire 9,847.35 
			 Tortington Kent 11,390.75 
			 Laxay Scotland 2,212.74 
			 Folkingham Lincolnshire 20,000.00 
			 Bewcastle Cumbria 865.50 
			 Ollaberry Scotland 3,410.98 
			 Standon Mill Staffordshire 4,689.36 
			 Bowden Scotland 5,000.00 
			 North Bradley Wiltshire 5,355.75 
			 Stranagalwilly Northern Ireland 5,908.20 
			 Ysceifiog Wales 1,160.35 
			 Adfa Wales 8,000.00 
			 East Markham Nottinghamshire 2,198.50 
			 Ightfield Shropshire 4,490.00 
			 Tibberton Shropshire 3,407.50 
			 Douglas Bridge Northern Ireland 7,031.12 
			 Abergwesyn Wales 453.55 
			 Hayton Yorkshire 1,468.00 
			 Easton Colchester 7,354.50 
			 Kinallen Northern Ireland 13,268.15 
			 Brampton Bryan Wales 4,652.40 
			 Newton-Le-Willows North Yorkshire 393.63 
			 Great Dalby Leicestershire 20,000.00 
			 Skelton Cumbria 14,700.00 
			 Catworth Cambridgeshire 15,223.50 
			 Tallington Lincolnshire 313.44 
			 Ballyward Northern Ireland 8,454.86 
			 Gaddesby Leicestershire 12,038.38 
			 Rosedale Abbey Yorkshire 1,522.19 
			 Oddington Gloucestershire 7,000.00 
			 Ripponden Yorkshire 13,838.00 
			 Tideswell Derbyshire 20,000.00 
			 Skidby Humberside 19,429.40 
			 Bradley Staffordshire 5,463.75 
			 Surlingham Norfolk 5,207.43 
			 Leigh On Mendip Avon 280.00 
			 Ashill Norfolk 4,069.50 
			 Cheddington Bedfordshire 8,370.78 
			 Escomb County Durham 1,092.00 
			 Palterton Derbyshire 8,183.88 
			 Owermoigne Dorset 5,200.00 
			 Dudleston Heath Shropshire 2,450.00 
			 Lidlington Bedfordshire 2,332.00 
			 Haynes Bedfordshire 20,000.00 
			 Threapwood Cheshire 12,355.00 
			 New Holland Lincolnshire 14,878.00 
			 Abberley Worcestershire 9,187.00

Office for Civil Nuclear Security

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  where invitations to prospective applicants for the Advisory Board of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security were placed; how many applications were received; and whether applicants were rejected on security grounds;
	(2)  who the members of the Advisory Board for the Office for Civil Nuclear Security are; what their qualifications for the post are; and if there are restrictions in place in respect of who may be appointed to the board.

Brian Wilson: The members of the OCNS Advisory Board are Joan MacNaughton, the Director General for Energy and Helen Leiser, the Director of Nuclear Industries, Michael Buckland-Smith, the Director of Civil Nuclear Security, all from the Department, Jim Furness, a Deputy Chief Inspector in the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, a representative from the Security Service, and Pat Upson, Technical Managing Director of Urenco Ltd.
	These appointments reflect a range of security policy, regulatory and industry experience. The members from the Security Service, and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive were put forward by their respective organisations, at the Department's invitation. To find a suitable candidate with experience of the nuclear industry, my Department invited the main bodies in the nuclear industry to propose candidates. The five candidates put forward were evaluated and Pat Upson was invited to become a member of the Advisory Board.
	All Advisory Board members have appropriate security clearance.

BNFL

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the reply of 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 967W, if (a) BNFL and (b) other public funds were used for the clean-up of B241 at Sellafield; and what estimate BNFL has made of the final cost of remediation of the radioactive pollution.

Brian Wilson: As with a number of such legacy facilities at Sellafield, the costs of carrying out the various projects at B241 are met by BNFL with appropriate contributions from relevant customers. In the case of B241 financial responsibility for the liability falls primarily to the Ministry of Defence and the UK Atomic Energy Authority. Work is continuing. It is not yet clear what the final cost of cleaning up B241 will be.

Timeshare Regulations

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans she has to introduce a registration scheme for holiday clubs; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans she has to revise the Timeshare Regulations 1997 to include floating vessels; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans she has to revise the Timeshare Regulations 1997 to include timeshares of less than three years' duration; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  if she proposes to amend the Timeshare Regulations 1997 to include holiday clubs; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Changing the Timeshare Regulations 1997 or the Timeshare Act 1992 will not help UK consumers who often buy timeshare and new products while on holiday abroad. The EU Commission is proposing next year to review the Timeshare Directive 1994 and will be considering new products and other related issues. We will therefore work closely with the Commission to ensure that our views are taken into account and are reflected in any potential amendments to the Directive.
	The Department is also seeking to tackle rogue traders operating in this area through better enforcement, more effective self-regulation within the industry and to raising consumer awareness about their rights. We are currently working in partnership with consumer bodies, enforcement agencies, timeshare trade associations and industry to take this forward.

Foot and Mouth

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which (a) individuals were consulted by and (b) companies were represented on the Foot and Mouth Science Group; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 26 June 2002
	Individuals on the FMD Science Group, and the Group itself, consulted at various points throughout the outbreak with a number of bodies, including farmers at regional meetings, the NFU, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, British Cattle Veterinary Association, British Veterinary Association, Sheep and Pigs Veterinary Associations and representatives of the food industry. All these meetings and consultations were reported back to the full Group.
	The Group was comprised of individuals from a range of disciplines and included Government research scientists, university academics, veterinary practitioners and representatives of Government Departments and agencies. The composition of the Group evolved over time to ensure that relevant expertise was brought in, eg practising vets joined at a later stage to provide a more direct link with events on the ground.

Trawlermen (Compensation)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to increase awareness among potential claimants of the Icelandic water trawlermen's compensation scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: On top of the measures already taken when the scheme was first opened, over the past months my officials have been visiting the various port areas to discuss the scheme with local trawlermen and their representatives. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Firms has also had a number of meetings with my hon. Friends the Members for Hull, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Fleetwood and Aberdeen, who are highly effective ambassadors for their constituents. In addition, there have been a number of articles about the meetings and the visits, as well as the scheme in general, in the local press. I plan to issue further publicity in the relevant port areas and trade journals to announce the end of the scheme on 1 October 2002.

Trawlermen (Compensation)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will extend the deadline for claims under the Icelandic water trawlermen's compensation scheme to 31 December.

Patricia Hewitt: My predecessor announced when the scheme was set up that it would run for two years—from 2 October 2000 to 1 October 2002. I have no plans to extend the deadline.

Trawlermen (Compensation)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the take-up by potential claimants under the Icelandic water trawlermen's compensation scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: When the scheme was set up, it was expected that some 4,000 former trawlermen would be eligible to receive a payment. To date we have received some 11,000 claims from former trawlermen or their dependents.

Timber Imports

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what volume of timber from Liberia was imported to the UK (a) in 2001 and (b) in the first five months of 2002; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The UK imported 6,098 cubic metres of timber from Liberia in 2001, and 2,917 cubic metres in January to March 2002, the latest period for which data are available.

Bhutan

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much bilateral trade there was between the UK and Bhutan over each of the last two years; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on UK bilateral trade with Bhutan is given in the following table:
	
		UK trade in goods with Bhutan 2000–01 -- £ million
		
			   UK exports UK imports Total trade 
		
		
			 2000 1.2 1.7 2.9 
			 2001 1.6 2.3 4.0 
		
	
	Note:
	Because of rounding, there may be slight discrepancies between the totals shown and the sums of the constituent parts.
	Source:
	HM Customs and Excise data

Broadband

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  when she expects broadband to be introduced into service to all of England;
	(2)  what percentage of geographical broadband coverage she expects to be available by 2005.

Stephen Timms: Our target is to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005. We have not set a target for percentage coverage of the UK, though broadband via ADSL, Cable and Wireless technologies is already available to around 66 per cent. of the population. Satellite offers the potential for almost total coverage.

Broadband

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussion she has had with the Director General of Fair Trading about the monopoly provision of broadband.

Stephen Timms: Under the Telecommunications Act 1984, the Director General of Telecommunications has responsibilities to promote the interests of consumers, and to maintain and promote effective competition in relation to telecommunications.
	The Government monitors competition in the telecoms sector in close consultation with Oftel, and will keep the situation under review.
	The UK has arguably one of the most competitive broadband markets in Europe. Around 40 per cent. of the population has a choice between cable and ADSL technologies, with wireless and satellite services also available, while in the ADSL market there are around 40 resellers of BT's wholesale product. In addition Oftel have announced this week that BT will be required to offer ADSL broadband interconnection services to enable operators to connect to BT's network and therefore provide a much wider range of wholesale and retail broadband services in competition with BT.

Broadband

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made by (a) local authorities, (b) parish councils, (c) town councils and (d) businesses on improving the broadband technology facilities available in the United Kingdom.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 18 June 2002
	Ministers and officials continue to meet and correspond with a wide range of businesses and councils. As well as bilateral consultation with businesses and the public sector, the Government have established the Broadband Stakeholder Group, which brings together the key players in the public and private sectors. We continue to meet regularly with the Broadband Stakeholder Group to discuss our broadband strategy. The group first reported in November 2001, and the Government response can be found at www.e-envoy.gov.uk. It has produced its second report this week.
	In addition, under the £30 million UK Broadband Fund, the regional development agencies and the devolved Administrations are taking forward projects to promote the benefits of broadband.

Energy Policy

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is her latest assessment of the cost of the Scotland/England West Coast Interconnector.

Brian Wilson: The possible costs are as set out in the study by PB Power, a copy of which is available on the Department of Trade and Industry's website at: www2.dti.gov.uk/energy/west—coast—interconnector—study.pdf

Patents

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the implications for United Kingdom domestic law of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Koninklijke Philips v. Remington.

Patricia Hewitt: In its judgment of 18 June in the Koninklijke Philips v. Remington case, the European Court of Justice concluded that the Trade Marks Directive (implemented in the UK by the Trade Marks Act 1994) could not be used to protect product characteristics or technical features.
	The European Court of Justice's decision is broadly consistent with the submissions of the Government and largely confirms existing UK practice.
	Innovation of a technical or functional nature is protectable by patents. The maximum duration of a patent is 20 years (trade mark rights can be renewed without limit), after which inventions pass into the public domain for anyone to use or develop. This period of 20 years, which accords with international norms, represents a balance between encouraging inventors to develop new products by preventing others from using their inventions for a limited time, and encouraging competition by publishing full details of patented inventions so that they may be widely used when rights expire.
	On the other hand, trade marks indicate the trade origin of goods. Allowing trade mark registrations to confer on proprietors an open-ended right to product characteristics or technical features would upset the balance created by the patent law.

Consignia v. Russell Sealy

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the policy implications of the decision of the Court of Appeal in Consignia plc v. Russell Sealy.

Stephen Timms: Having considered the decision there appear to be no policy implications.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Genetic Engineering (Vaccinations)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the potential use of genetic engineering in plants to provide simple vaccinations for the developing world.

Clare Short: Research has shown that plants can be genetically engineered to produce substances with the potential to induce immune responses to several diseases of animals and people. But the prospect of plant-produced vaccines for the routine prevention of diseases of poverty is still a distant one. At present, an important challenge facing many developing countries is to strengthen their health service delivery systems to achieve and sustain high coverage with existing vaccines, which are safe and inexpensive. DFID contributes to this objective as a partner in the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) and through its support for WHO, UNICEF and national Governments.

Bhutan

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid the UK has given to Bhutan in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: The table lists aid disbursement to Bhutan from 1996–97:
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1996–97 20,000 
			 1997–98 92,000 
			 1998–99 14,000 
			 1999–2000 11,000 
			 2000–01 1,000 
			 2001–02 (2)— 
		
	
	(2) Not yet available

Occupied Palestinian Territories

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact the division of the occupied Palestinian territories into eight separate cantons has had on the humanitarian situation in the OPT.

Clare Short: Reports estimate that 50 per cent. of the population are currently living in poverty (under $2 a day), and per capita income continues to decline significantly. On-going and intensified Israeli restrictions will exacerbate this situation—restricting movement of people to work and products to markets, prohibiting access to basic services such as health and education, increasing unemployment, substantially reducing the ability of the Palestinian Authority to sustain essential social services, and inhibiting the work of international organisations and aid agencies.

Illegal Logging

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to develop a programme of action to follow on from the memorandum of understanding between the UK and Indonesia to combat illegal logging signed in April.

Clare Short: Since the signing of the memorandum of understanding on 18 April, DFID, in close conjunction with officials in other Government Departments, has taken a number of steps to implement the agreement.
	In May, DFID officials visited Indonesia and agreed a detailed programme of action to implement the memorandum. Indonesian officials will visit the UK in July to finalise this programme. During this visit they will meet with British Government officials, representatives of the UK Timber Trades Federation and non-governmental organisations.
	The exploitation of forest resources in Indonesia is subject to a very large number of inconsistent and often contradictory laws. Consolidated and revised legislation is not practical in the short to medium term. My Department has therefore also commissioned two consultancies (involving UK and Indonesian experts) to address two fundamental aspects of the agreement:
	the establishment of workable criteria to define legality; and
	the identification of possible systems of mandatory compliance.
	The results of this work, which is already under way, are expected by the end of August.

Partnership Programmes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the (a) number and (b) cost of second round partnership programme agreements.

Clare Short: We are currently negotiating with four non-governmental organisations under our second round of partnership programme agreements. This is with a view to concluding negotiations within the next few weeks. Financial allocations under these agreements have not yet been finalised.

Development Policy Forum

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the content and conclusions of the Development Policy Forum in February.

Clare Short: The Development Policy Forum held in Belfast in February was the first in this year's series of 11 forums, which are being held in different parts of the UK. The process will conclude with the forum in Birmingham on 8 July, following which we will publish a report on the process, and on the key issues raised. This year's series of forums, which follow previous rounds in 1998 and 2000, have focused on development and trade, the role of the private sector, and sustainable development. Participants come from a wide range of backgrounds, and have participated in both plenary and workshop discussions of the issues. These are designed to deepen understanding of development, and to enable participants to share views and ideas on how to reduce global poverty. Feedback from participants on the process remains, as with previous rounds, very positive; and all participants will receive a copy of the report at the end of the process.

Food Aid (Southern Africa)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 19 June 2002, Official Report, column 387W, when she expects food aid distribution to extend to the six countries in southern Africa identified as facing severe food shortages.

Clare Short: Food distribution in the six countries involves for the most part scaling up existing responses, so it is already taking place. The World Food Programme tell us that they have a total of 100,000 tonnes of food aid in the pipeline for the region, with 25,000 tonnes either already in affected countries and being distributed, or due to arrive by 1 July. There are also NGO programmes which we and others are funding which are continuing earlier food interventions.

Food Aid (Southern Africa)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 19 June 2002, Official Report, column 387W, what her Department's contribution to the World Food Programme's regional appeal for Southern Africa was in respect of the 2002–03 harvest year.

Clare Short: We have committed £18.75 million to the WFP regional appeal in advance of its publication. This is part of an overall new commitment of £45 million from DFID's budget that we made on 17 June for six countries in southern Africa. My Department has also seconded a logistics expert to the World Food Programme office in Harare and is considering further support for WFP's co-ordinating unit in South Africa.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Foot and Mouth

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funds her Department has made available to areas most heavily affected by the foot and mouth outbreak.

Alun Michael: The Government put in place a range of schemes to help those affected by the disease and the measures to control it. These included:
	the £80 million Business Recovery Fund, managed by the Regional Development Agencies (including £25 million reprioritised funding from RDAs' existing budgets) to help businesses adjust to changes in their markets;
	discretionary interest-free deferral of income tax, VAT and National Insurance contributions, with over £250 million deferred;
	increased central funding for local authorities to provide rate relief for businesses facing hardship (estimated at £22 million), and bringing forward mandatory rate relief for village shops, pubs and garages;
	£15 million to match charitable donations towards relief of hardship;
	£3.8 million to help local authorities reopen rights of way;
	£18 million for tourism promotion;
	£0.5 million from the Countryside Access Recovery Fund.
	The Government are continuing to work with local authorities and partnerships in the worst-affected areas to help implement their recovery strategies.

Foot and Mouth

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to receive the report of the Royal Society inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak.

Elliot Morley: The report of the Royal Society's inquiry into infectious diseases in livestock is currently expected to be published on 16 July.

World Summit on Sustainable Development

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress there has been in preparations for the world summit on sustainable development.

Michael Meacher: Broad agreement was reached at Bali on a Programme of Action to implement sustainable development. We also had very preliminary discussions on a Political Declaration for Johannesburg. At the EU level, the European Council at Seville has just agreed the EU's final negotiating position for Johannesburg.

Standstill Rule

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to modify the 20-day standstill rule.

Elliot Morley: Final decisions will not be made until we have seen the recommendations of the Royal Society and Lessons Learned Inquiries.

Recycling

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement regarding the implementation of European recycling directives.

Michael Meacher: The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive came into force in 1994. It is implemented in the UK through the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 and the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 1998. The End of Life Vehicles Directive was adopted in 2000 and member states are now transposing it. The proposed Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive is expected to be adopted by the EC later this year. It may therefore come into effect in the UK in 2004.

Recycling

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing the Government's recycling strategy.

Michael Meacher: Regulatory impact assessments are developed by the Department to assess the costs and benefits of proposed measures to increase recycling. These RIAs are published in consultation documents and are available on the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk/.

Animal Welfare

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made in its attempts to persuade other European Union countries to improve the welfare conditions of animals which are transported on long journeys.

Elliot Morley: The need for continuing improvements in the welfare of animals during transport is now generally accepted by member states. We will continue to press the European Commission to produce its proposals for changes to the present EU rules on the protection of animals during transport.

Flooding

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the expenditure by the Government on flood defences in 2001.

Elliot Morley: This Department provides grant (and supplementary credit approvals to local authorities) to the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards for flood and coastal defence capital works. The provisional outturn for 2001–02 is £91 million.
	The Government also provided some £268 million in further funding for flood and coastal defence through local authority funding mechanisms. An estimated £40 million was provided from other sources.

Flooding

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from the Environment Agency regarding flooding.

Elliot Morley: Given the Environment Agency's supervisory role for flood defence, it is recognised as a key stakeholder by this Department on flood and coastal defence policy and operational issues. Therefore there is an on-going dialogue between the agency and Department, but recent representations have included the agency's response to the consultation on the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review.

Agricultural Shows

James Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage the staging of agricultural shows.

Alun Michael: We strongly support the work of agricultural shows which are staged at national, regional and local levels by independent show societies. It is a matter for these societies to decide upon the format for their events and how they will be organised, but we support the events by taking space at a number of shows each year and by attendance of Ministers and officials at several, including the Royal Show.

Farming

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement regarding the implementation of the proposals in the report published by the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food.

Elliot Morley: The Government intend to produce a strategy for sustainable food and farming in England in the autumn, following a wide-ranging process of stakeholder engagement. The strategy will incorporate a definitive response to each of the Policy Commission's recommendations.

Refrigerators

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on the recycling of fridges and freezers; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: We have received five representations on the recycling of fridges and freezers since 14 May 2002. The representations have mostly been from the local authorities regarding funding and from consumers on how to dispose of old fridges.
	We realise local authorities are in need of further funding and intend to make an announcement as soon as possible.
	A leaflet for householders advising on how to dispose of old fridges, originally only on the DEFRA website, has now been published in hard copy as well, and widely distributed. Guidance on the disposal of commercial refrigeration equipment has been placed on the website and recently published in hard copy.

Refrigerators

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made in implementing new recycling plants for refrigerators and freezers.

Michael Meacher: Investors are in the process of providing a network of new recycling facilities in the United Kingdom. Two mobile plant are up and running and three further static plant will be operational by the end of July. This should be sufficient to reprocess 1.2 million fridges a year. Further plant are scheduled to come online by the end of the year.

Milk Industry (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the prospects for the milk industry in Lancashire.

Elliot Morley: In Lancashire, in common with the rest of the country, the farmgate price of milk has fallen over the last few months. The most recent official figures show that for milk delivered in April the average farmgate price of milk in the UK had fallen to 16.10 pence per litre and it is likely that the average figure for May will be even lower. As a result, some dairy farmers will be receiving less for their milk than it costs to produce it. A situation that is clearly unsustainable. However, these low prices have largely been caused by factors that are temporary in nature, most notably, oversupply of raw milk in the UK and the weakness of EU and world markets for dairy products.
	For the longer term, it is likely that the next round of WTO agriculture negotiations will further restrict the use of export subsidies and increase the exposure of EU markets to world markets. In addition, enlargement of the EU is likely to lead to pressure on the Community budget, if the CAP is not reformed.
	In order to produce a sustainable dairy industry that can compete successfully on the growing world market for dairy products, the industry must be given the opportunity to trade free of artificial constraints imposed by the WTO, as well as by the EU dairy regime. The EU price support system is focused on butter and skimmed milk powder, both in clear surplus, hampering the development of genuine markets, while milk quotas are bureaucratic, constrain production by the most efficient farmers and represent a significant financial burden to most farmers.
	The Government therefore favour the orderly phasing out of milk quotas in combination with a reduction in EU support prices to world prices, and direct but digressive aid to help farmers adjust to the new regime. During the forthcoming review of the milk quota system, due to start in June, the UK will be pressing to achieve confirmation that quotas will not continue after they lapse on 31 March 2008. These changes are intended to provider longer-term direction within the framework of the dairy regime, which farmers need in order to plan their businesses effectively.

Biodiversity

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent UN report on the threat to 1,000 species of mammals and on international efforts to support biodiversity.

Michael Meacher: Information from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) on the conservation status of species is reported in UNEP's Global Environment Outlook (GEO 3) published recently. The IUCN analysis from the year 2000 estimated that about 24 per cent. (1,130) of mammals and 12 per cent. (1,183) of birds are considered to be globally threatened. Since IUCN's previous assessment in 1996 the number of critically endangered species has increased from 169 to 180 mammals and from 168 to 182 birds. These figures are a stark warning of the need for action to conserve biodiversity and to protect species and an indication of the size of the challenge. It needs international co-operation to address problems on this scale. We are working within existing international agreements to this end and will be looking to the World Summit on Sustainable Development for a renewed level of commitment.
	Many mammal species in danger of over-exploitation through trade are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This regulates trade in animals and plants, and products derived from them, to ensure it is carried out in a sustainable way to safeguard the long-term survival of species. Trade in the most endangered species is banned while that in species which may become endangered is carefully regulated and monitored through a system of import and export permits. There are approximately 30,000 species listed on CITES, around 5,000 of which are mammals.
	The UK is taking action at home and abroad to conserve biodiversity. The Darwin initiative launched at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 is a fund to assist countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in resources to conserve their biological diversity. The fifth report on the Darwin Initiative was published on 17 July and copies placed in the Library of the House. So far it has provided £27 million to over 270 projects with links to some 80 developing countries. Through the UK's contributions the Global Environment Facility (GEF) we are helping developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity. We are aiming for a significant replenishment of the GEF as soon as possible. And DFID are supporting sustainable forest management programmes in a number of developing countries.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on applying for agrimonetary compensation for farmers; and if she will make a statement on the rationale behind her Department's decision not to apply for much funding.

Elliot Morley: The Government has received representations from the industry and from hon. Members. While we acknowledge the difficulties the agricultural sector is facing and we are working with them on the recommendations of the Policy Commission on Farming and Food, we decided not to pay any further tranches of this subsidy given the many competing demands on the Exchequer at present. More than 80 per cent. of the cost would in effect have to be met by the British taxpayer.

Coastal Protection

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the complexity of procedures for coastal protection.

Elliot Morley: Responsibility for deciding which flood and coastal defence projects to promote and their timing rests with operating authorities. This Department provides grants for flood and coastal defence capital works and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score. This Department has also provided the operating authorities with guidance on scheme appraisal.
	In the case of coast protection there are specific requirements in the Coast Protection Act 1949 which require a proposed scheme to be advertised. Anyone can object to a proposed scheme and, if the objection is not withdrawn, the Secretary of State must determine it.
	The procedures are kept under review and suggestions for change are considered carefully.

Fisheries

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on recent moves towards reform of the common fisheries policy.

Elliot Morley: The Commission published its first set of proposals for reform of the common fisheries policy on 28 May 2002. Our preliminary assessment is that the aims of the proposals are broadly in line with the UK view developed in the light of our consultation with stakeholders last year about the Commission's Green Paper on the subject. We shall in coming weeks be assessing, again in consultation with all interested parties in the UK, all the possible implications of the Commission's proposals.

Fisheries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the European Commission proposals for the reform of the common fisheries policy.

Elliot Morley: Our preliminary assessment is that the aims of the proposals are broadly in line with the UK view developed in the light of our consultation with stakeholders last year about the Commission's Green Paper on the subject. We shall in coming weeks be assessing, again in consultation with all interested parties in the UK, all the possible implications of the Commission's proposals.

Bali Conference

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Bali prepcomm meeting.

Michael Meacher: Progress was made on the importance of sanitation in eradicating poverty and meeting the millennium development goal on safe drinking water. Broad agreement was also reached on key issues such as the urgent need to restore fish stocks and address illegal fishing, and on the important role non-governmental actors can play in achieving sustainable development. The meeting also recognised the need for a strong focus on Africa.
	Other difficult issues remain outstanding, such as how the summit can address trade and finance issues to complement the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Development Agenda. There are also specific targets on sanitation, biodiversity loss and energy which have yet to be agreed. We are continuing to ensure a successful outcome for Johannesburg, including concrete actions and coherent work programmes on energy, water and sustainable patterns of consumption and production.

Nitrate-vulnerable Zones

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the introduction of nitrate-vulnerable zones.

Michael Meacher: I refer you to the statement I am making today which outlines the action we are pursuing to tackle the problem of diffuse pollution of water by agriculture, including the designation of new nitrate vulnerable zones.

Water Pollution

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action is being taken to address diffuse pollution of water by agriculture; how the Government intend to implement the nitrates directive in England; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: One year after the creation of DEFRA, it gives me enormous pleasure that what were different Departments are now working well together to develop an integrated approach to the problems of pollution, and especially diffuse pollution from agriculture.
	The increased intensification of farm production and the great steps made to reduce point source pollution from factories and sewage works mean that, as the Policy Commission on Food and Farming noted, agriculture is now clearly one of the major contributors to the pollution of water. It is also a significant polluter of air.
	Over time we will need to take further steps to reduce pollution from agriculture, but in a cost-effective way. We therefore need to involve farmers very closely in continuing work to achieve a cleaner and healthier environment. Many farmers are committed to protecting and enhancing the environment, but much more needs to be done to raise standards across all farms to the standards of the best, and to tackle the specific problem of diffuse pollution.
	Over the next few years we will be implementing the EU directives we have signed up to in order to improve water quality. As part of this work, later this year we will be holding a more detailed consultation with all sectors to follow up our first general consultation on implementing the water framework directive.
	Over 70 per cent. of nitrates and over 40 per cent. of phosphates in English waters originate from agricultural land. Up to a half of England's bathing waters are affected by short-term contamination by agricultural pollution, mainly by microbes from livestock manure being washed off farm land after rain. Excessive loads of fine silt are generated by soil erosion from intensively farmed land. Pesticides are contaminating drinking water sources, requiring expensive additional treatment at water works to remove pesticides before water can be supplied to consumers.
	No one farmer is responsible for this, but cumulatively diffuse pollution from farms is having a substantial impact on the quality of English waters. That is why we have begun a strategic review of diffuse water pollution from agriculture, to identify cost-effective policy measures to prevent and control this pollution and to improve the sustainability of agriculture. We are co-ordinating this review with work announced in the Budget to review the particular role that economic instruments could play in tackling such pollution.
	As part of the open approach to policy development that we are seeking to adopt in the new Department, I am publishing today a discussion document, "The Government's Strategic Review of Diffuse Water Pollution From Agriculture in England", so that we can start a debate with farmers and other stakeholders about the problems that we face and how we can best solve them. This marks the beginning of a process for working with stakeholders to develop a package of policy measures to reduce pollution.
	Part of what we need to achieve is improved control of the application of manures and fertilisers to land. Through the review we are considering the full range of policy mechanisms that could play a part in the future in encouraging and assisting farmers to improve their management of manure and nutrients. But we also have to implement some measures now, to comply with the European Court of Justice judgment that we have failed to meet our obligations under the 1991 Nitrates Directive to tackle agricultural nitrate pollution of waters.
	We published proposals for implementing the directive in December 2001. We have carefully considered the responses to the consultation, and I am today publishing an analysis of these responses. We have decided to apply the minimum regulation consistent with our obligations under the directive, to avoid closing off other options for tackling the wider problem of diffuse pollution that might be identified through the current review.
	We will designate new nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) covering 47 per cent. of the land area of England, which will take the total designated area in England to 55 per cent. These are areas draining into rivers, ground water and other waters which are affected by nitrate pollution. In consequence, farmers using manufactured nitrogen fertilisers or organic manures will be required to follow an action programme to reduce pollution.
	This action will help to prevent and reverse damaging impacts of eutrophication, and improve the quality of drinking water sources. Better control of manure spreading will also cut microbiological inputs to water, helping to maintain and further increase the quality of bathing waters and shellfish waters.
	The overall extent of the new designations will be less than was originally estimated in the consultation document, as a result of work to define and quantify the NVZ areas more accurately than was possible at the time the consultation document was issued. Some new areas have been added, as was anticipated in the consultation document; but more areas have been removed.
	I am today publishing a revised regulatory impact assessment, which estimates that the compliance costs incurred by farmers will amount to about £20 million per year. Costs will vary considerably from farm to farm, but I acknowledge that some farmers, particularly those who need to construct additional slurry storage facilities, will incur substantial costs. To assist those farmers who are most affected, we will extend the existing farm waste grant scheme to the new NVZ areas to help finance improvements to slurry storage facilities required to implement the action programme.
	Formal designations setting down the precise boundaries of the new zones will follow as soon as possible, and it will become a legal requirement to follow the action programme from 19 December 2002. By the end of July, DEFRA will make available detailed interactive maps of the new NVZ areas. As soon as these are available, we will write to farmers to explain how to access these maps. We will also send all farmers in affected areas explanatory guidance material, together with sources of further advice on how to comply with the measures and details on the availability of grant under the farm waste grant scheme.
	We are also taking action to reduce phosphate and nitrate pollution of waters from other sources, and are announcing, separately, additional designations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive that will require water companies to reduce phosphate or nitrate discharges from certain sewage treatment works.
	We are also committed to improving air quality. 85 per cent. of the ammonia which enters the atmosphere in the UK comes from fertilisers and manures used in agriculture. We will be publishing a booklet later this summer, which will explain the problems caused by ammonia emissions, to initiate debate on how to tackle this related problem.
	This all adds up to a substantial agenda for change. I recognise that we must secure these changes in ways which maximise the beneficial impact on the environment while minimising the regulatory burden on farmers. As we said in "Working Together", we need to explore joined-up ways of working; to develop whole farm approaches; and to identify smarter ways of regulating. For example, several of the measures I have mentioned could affect the ways farmers handle manures and fertilisers, pointing to the benefits of more integrated approaches.

Water Pollution

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the 2001 review of sensitive areas as required by the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Based on recommendations from the Environment Agency I have reviewed the identification of Sensitive Areas in England in accordance with the criteria in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 (which transposes the European Council Directive (91/271/EEC) concerning urban waste water treatment).
	This review has resulted in the identification of 33 more water bodies in England as Sensitive Areas. 32 are because the waters have since the last review in 1997 been found to be eutrophic, or that they may in the near future become eutrophic if protective action is not taken. Eutrophic waters are those which are, or may be, adversely (in terms of their ecology and quality) affected by discharges from sewage treatment works serving communities of more than 10,000 inhabitants.
	The remaining water body, the River Itchen in the midlands, which supplies drinking water, has been identified on the basis of elevated levels of nitrate under the terms of the regulations.
	Identification of these areas will result in more stringent treatment being provided at 53 qualifying treatment works by water companies. This treatment involves reducing levels of phosphorus and/or nitrogen in discharges to tackle eutrophication and nitrate levels of these waters.
	These new requirements on water companies to remove these nutrients from sewage treatment work discharges will complement and add to the action required by farmers under the Nitrates Directive, and by my Department on diffuse pollution, which I also announced today.
	Lists of the new sensitive areas have today been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. Maps showing the location of all current sensitive areas (eutrophic) and (nitrate) will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and at offices of the Environment Agency in due course.

Radioactive Waste

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the results were of the consultation on managing radioactive waste supply.

Michael Meacher: We received 330 replies to the consultation paper "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely" published last September by the UK Government and the devolved Administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We are evaluating the outcome, and we shall shortly publish a summary of responses as well as announcing what we plan to do next.

Farmers (Bureaucracy)

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the length and complexity of the forms that her Department requires farmers to complete.

Elliot Morley: Many of the forms farmers are required to complete relate to CAP support schemes. These forms are reviewed each year for need and content. No overall assessment of the Department's forms aimed at farmers has been made since the creation of DEFRA. The Department is currently considering its overall approach to reviewing forms.

Empty Properties

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) average and (b) recommended turnaround time has been over the last 12 months for making affordable empty homes available for new tenants.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The average time taken by local authorities in England to re-let their housing stock is one of the best value performance indicators for housing (BVPI 68) for 2001–02. The Audit Commission expects to publish information on authorities' performance against this indicator in 2001–02 in January 2003. The latest available information is in respect of lettings during 2000–01, as reported to the Audit Commission, and can be found in their publication "Local Authority Performance Indicators 2001/2002 Council Services Compendium for England, Volumes 1 and 2". Because of variations in the way local authorities maintain lettings records and compile these estimates, average figures and any comparisons between authorities should be treated with caution.
	BVPI68 is a "top quartile" performance indicator. The Government expect local authorities to set targets for these BVPIs which are consistent with reaching the performance standard set by the top quartile of authorities over five years (i.e. by 31 March 2005). For 2001–02 the top quartile performance standards were:
	
		
			  Days 
		
		
			 London boroughs 42 
			 Metropolitan boroughs 29 
			 Unitaries 28 
			 District councils 25 
		
	
	Corresponding information in respect of re-lettings by registered social landlords (RSLs) is collected by the Housing Corporation and a summary of the most recent data, for 2000–01, was published in "Housing Associations in 2001: Performance Indicators" (Source Research 56). The Housing Corporation's regulatory code does not set recommended turnaround time for RSLs to make affordable empty homes available to new tenants.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Convention on the Future of Europe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what correspondence he has received from the European Academy of Sport with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what correspondence he has received from Service Civil International with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what correspondence he has received from the European Federation of Youth Service Organisations with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what correspondence he has received from Youth of European Nationalities with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what correspondence he has received from the European Writers' Congress with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  what correspondence he has received from A Seed Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  what correspondence he has received from the European Union of Music Competition for Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(8)  what correspondence he has received from the Coordination Committee for International Voluntary Service with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(9)  what correspondence he has received from the European Humanities University, Minsk-Belaruss with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(10)  what correspondence he has received from the Association of the International Cultural Youth Exchange with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(11)  what correspondence he has received from the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(12)  what correspondence he has received from Global Legislators for a Balanced Environment with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(13)  what correspondence he has received from the European Playwork Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(14)  what correspondence he has received from the European Alliance of YMCAs with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(15)  what correspondence he has received from the European University Institute (research) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(16)  what correspondence he has received from Youth Action for Peace with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(17)  what correspondence he has received from the International Association of Civil Engineering Students with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(18)  what correspondence he has received from the Invisible College, Chisinau-Moldavia with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(19)  what correspondence he has received from the World Federation of Democratic Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(20)  what correspondence he has received from the European Movement with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(21)  what correspondence he has received from the Food First Information Act Network with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(22)  what correspondence he has received from the European Institute for Asian Studies with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(23)  what correspondence he has received from the Foundation of Journalists with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(24)  what correspondence he has received from the Information Point Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(25)  what correspondence he has received from Youth for European Educational Exchanges with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(26)  what correspondence he has received from the European Confederation of Junior Enterprises with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(27)  what correspondence he has received from the Belgrade Open School with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(28)  what correspondence he has received from Notre Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(29)  what correspondence he has received from the Centre for HR at the University of Pretoria with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(30)  what correspondence he has received from Contact-2013 with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(31)  what correspondence he has received from the International Forum of Decision Makers on Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(32)  what correspondence he has received from the Forum for European Alternatives with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(33)  what correspondence he has received from the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(34)  what correspondence he has received from European Youth Forest Action with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(35)  what correspondence he has received from the Hellenic University Association of European Studies with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(36)  what correspondence he has received from the International Council of Jewish Women with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(37)  what correspondence he has received from the European Law Students' Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(38)  what correspondence he has received from the Democrat Youth Community of Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(39)  what correspondence he has received from Ciemen (Mercator) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(40)  what correspondence he has received from the International Union of Socialist Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(41)  what correspondence he has received from the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(42)  what correspondence he has received from the European Policy Centre (EPC) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(43)  what correspondence he has received from the International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(44)  what correspondence he has received from the European Confederation of Youth Club Organisations with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(45)  what correspondence he has received from Yourope-The European Festival Organisation with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(46)  what correspondence he has received from EFAH/FEAP with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(47)  what correspondence he has received from the Experiment in Europe Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(48)  what correspondence he has received from Stichting World Student Christian Federation Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(49)  what correspondence he has received from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(50)  what correspondence he has received from the European University Institute (archives) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(51)  what correspondence he has received from the University of Sarajevo with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(52)  what correspondence he has received from the Academy of European Law with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(53)  what correspondence he has received from the International Association of Agricultural Students with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(54)  what correspondence he has received from Euromet with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(55)  what correspondence he has received from the European Bureau for lesser used Languages with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(56)  what correspondence he has received from the European Citizens' Action Service (ECAS) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(57)  what correspondence he has received from the European Union Federation of Youth Hostel Associations with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(58)  what correspondence he has received from the Organizing Bureau of European School Student Unions with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(59)  what correspondence he has received from Europe 99 with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(60)  what correspondence he has received from the European Good Templar Youth Federation with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(61)  what correspondence he has received from International Young Naturefriends with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(62)  what correspondence he has received from the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(63)  what correspondence he has received from the Erasmus Student Network International with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(64)  what correspondence he has received from the European Union Net Art with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(65)  what correspondence he has received from Syndesmos-The World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(66)  what correspondence he has received from CIREM, Barcelona with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(67)  what correspondence he has received from the European Institute of Public Administration with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(68)  what correspondence he has received from Youth of the European People's Party with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(69)  what correspondence he has received from the European Institute for Outdoor Adventure Education with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(70)  what correspondence he has received from Youth for Development and Co-operation with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(71)  what correspondence he has received from the European Federation for Intercultural Learning with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(72)  what correspondence he has received from the European Policies Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(73)  what correspondence he has received from the Informal European Theatre Meeting with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(74)  what correspondence he has received from ETUC Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(75)  what correspondence he has received from the World Federalist Movement with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(76)  what correspondence he has received from the Federal Trust with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(77)  what correspondence he has received from World Organisation of the Scout Movement European with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(78)  what correspondence he has received from St. Stephen's University, Sodollo-Hungary with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(79)  what correspondence he has received from the Church and Society Commission with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(80)  what correspondence he has received from the European Youth Card Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(81)  what correspondence he has received from the International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(82)  what correspondence he has received from the European Council of Artists with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(83)  what correspondence he has received from United for Intercultural Action with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(84)  what correspondence he has received from European Democrat Students with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(85)  what correspondence he has received from the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(86)  what correspondence he has received from the College Europe, with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(87)  what correspondence he has received from the Fritz Brauer Institute with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(88)  what correspondence he has received from the European Rotaract Information Centre with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(89)  what correspondence he has received from the University College of Wales (Mercator) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(90)  what correspondence he has received from the Jean Monnet Foundation with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(91)  what correspondence he has received from the Peace Child Charitable Trust with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(92)  what correspondence he has received from European Students of Industrial Engineering with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(93)  what correspondence he has received from ECRE with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(94)  what correspondence he has received from the Pax Christi International Youth Forum with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(95)  what correspondence he has received from the International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(96)  what correspondence he has received from the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(97)  what correspondence he has received from the International Sonnenberg Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(98)  what correspondence he has received from the European Committee for Young Farmers' and 4 Clubs with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(99)  what correspondence he has received from the Association of Voluntary Service Organisations with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(100)  what correspondence he has received from Youth and Environment Europe with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(101)  what correspondence he has received from the Fryske Academy (Mercator) with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(102)  what correspondence he has received from the European Social Action Network with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(103)  what correspondence he has received from the International Delphic Council with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(104)  what correspondence he has received from Youth for Exchange and Understanding with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(105)  what correspondence he has received from the Jean Monnet Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(106)  what correspondence he has received from the International Sport and Culture Association with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(107)  what correspondence he has received from Stichting AIESEC International with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(108)  what correspondence he has received from IREL with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(109)  what correspondence he has received from the International Falcon Movement-Socialist Educational with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(110)  what correspondence he has received from the European Institute of Cyprus with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe; when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audiences of its publications have been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(111)  what correspondence he has received from the Auschwitz Foundation with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe, when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audience of its publications has been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities, with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(112)  what correspondence he has received from the Union of European Federalists with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe, when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audience of its publications has been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities, with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(113)  what correspondence he has received from the Strasbourg Centre of European Studies with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe, when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audience of its publications has been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities, with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(114)  what correspondence he has received from the Institute for the Study of A Spinelli with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe, when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audience of its publications has been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities, with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement;
	(115)  what correspondence he has received from the International Press Centre in Brussels with particular reference to the Convention on the Future of Europe when he last met representatives from that body; what his policy is towards continuing funding of it by the European Union; what the target audience of its publications has been; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of their use in schools and universities, with the requirements in the Education Act 1996 for balance in the provision of information; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The hon. Member asks about a huge range of organisations. The Convention on the future of Europe encourages the widest possible discussion at all levels, and we welcome the engagement of as many NGOs as possible to bring balance to this debate. It was exactly this requirement for balance across the political spectrum which the 1996 Education Act stipulated.

Parliamentary Questions

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost of answering the parliamentary questions tabled by the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 19 June concerning correspondence received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on ways in which hon. Members may make inquiries of his Department and the cost of each method.

Jack Straw: Although the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) tabled over 120 parliamentary questions on correspondence we had received from various NGOs concerning the Convention on the Future of Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Peter Hain) answered all his questions with a single answer.
	In a written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) on 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 582W, the then Financial Secretary my right hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Paul Boateng) announced that the average estimated cost of answering a written parliamentary question was £129. No equivalent exercise is done for the cost of responding to MPs' letters.

Turkey (Human Rights)

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made recently of the human rights situation in Turkey, with particular reference to the use of torture.

Peter Hain: On 19–20 June, a senior official from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office led a UK delegation at the first formal UK/Turkey Human Rights Dialogue, in Ankara. The dialogue was frank and constructive. There was detailed discussion of the steps Turkey has recently taken to improve the human rights situation, and of what remains to be done, including to eradicate torture. As expressed at the recent European Council in Seville, we welcome the changes Turkey has made, but implementation remains key. The European Commission will publish a further assessment of the situation in October.

Turkey (Human Rights)

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department will make to Turkish Government officials during their meetings in June about (a) the continuing use of torture by Turkish authorities and (b) the implementation of the European Court of Justice ruling on Leyle Zana and her fellow imprisoned members of Parliament.

Peter Hain: On 19–20 June, a senior official from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office led a UK delegation at the first formal UK/Turkey Human Rights Dialogue, in Ankara. There was a frank and constructive discussion on the human rights situation in Turkey, the measures recently taken to improve it and what remains to be done, including to eradicate torture. We welcomed the changes in policy concerning incommunicado detention and the fact that some cases have been brought against those suspected of torture. We also discussed the recent judgment on the case of Leyla Zana. We look to the Government of Turkey to abide by the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in this case, as in others.

Bhutan

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with colleagues in the European Union concerning religious freedom in Bhutan; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 655W, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Royal Government of Bhutan concerning the persecution of Christians in Bhutan;
	(3)  what steps the UK Government are taking to encourage Bhutan to provide constitutional guarantees for religious liberty in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards;
	(4)  what steps the UK Government are taking to encourage Bhutan to ratify (a) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, (b) the International Covenant on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights and (c) the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
	(5)  what plans (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the European Union have to encourage the Royal Government of Bhutan to draw on the expertise of the international community, particularly with regard to (i) shared legal expertise and (ii) good practice on constitutional drafting.

Mike O'Brien: We have received occasional NGO reports suggesting mistreatment of Christians in Bhutan. Although we have made no recent representations, we have in the past expressed our concern to the Royal Government of Bhutan that the right to choose, declare, and practice one's religion should be respected. We understand the position of the Royal Government of Bhutan is that there is freedom of individual religious practice in Bhutan. We have had no reason to discuss the issue with our European Union colleagues.
	During a visit to Thimphu in May 2001, the Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi raised with the Royal Government of Bhutan the desirability of an early Bhutanese accession to the UN Convention Against Torture. We understand that the Royal Government of Bhutan need to pass additional legislation before they can ratify this and several other human rights conventions.
	The form and content of the Bhutanese constitution is a matter for the Government and people of Bhutan. The Commission established by HM the King in 2001 has been tasked with drafting a constitution that reflects international norms and democratic practices. The Commission has yet to produce its first report. HMG would be glad to respond to any request from Bhutan to share legal expertise and good practice on constitutional drafting.

Royal Visits

Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each official visit made by each member of the Royal Family, excluding Her Majesty the Queen, in each of the past 10 years, indicating the country, date and duration of visit.

Jack Straw: The list of official visits by each member of the Royal Family in each of the past 10 years with the exception of Her Majesty The Queen, indicating the country visited, and the dates, has been deposited in the Library of the House of Commons.
	From 1998 details of such visits are available in the Annual Report of the Grant-in-Aid for Royal Travel by Air and Rail, issued by The Keeper of the Privy Purse.

Indonesia

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Indonesia since 1 January 2001 regarding the activities of Laskar Jihad; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The British Government has consistently made clear its view that long-term solutions to regional conflicts in Indonesia can be achieved only through negotiation and consultation, and that extremists who break the law should be dealt with firmly to allow space for reconciliation efforts to take root.
	Ministers and senior officials have regularly raised the issue of extremism and, specifically, Laskar Jihad with the Indonesian Authorities.

British Council

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent activities the British Council has undertaken in other European countries on combating racism and intolerance.

Denis MacShane: The British Council has been involved in a number of initiatives, helping bring together local authorities, NGOs and others in the UK and in Italy, Sweden, France, Denmark, Germany and Belgium for exchanges on tolerance and diversity. These have included seminars and conferences covering issues such as local government practice, citizenship education, and managing cultural diversity in schools.

British Council

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of work undertaken by the British Council in (a) promoting human rights, (b) leadership training, (c) strengthening civil society and (d) providing support for non- governmental sectors in Africa in preparation for the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

Denis MacShane: The British Council plays a distinctive public diplomacy role in Africa which complements the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development. The council builds people to people partnerships to support change from within—an approach consistent with the thinking behind the New Partnership for Africa's Development initiative.

British Council

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the expansion of British Council activities in Russia in the past two years.

Denis MacShane: The British Council opens its 14th centre in Russia this week in Rostov-on-Don. The extension of the Council's regional network in Russia in recent years has played an important role in helping extend UK reach and influence there. Additionally, 200–300 people per day are already visiting the Council's web portal, launched in March; the portal provides access to 70,000 British sites and is targeted at the younger generation.

British Council

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent work the British Council has done to meet the demand from young people in China for contact with the United Kingdom.

Denis MacShane: The British Council has been very active and successful in promoting educational links with China. The number of Chinese students in higher and further education, and in schools in this country in 2001 was 50,000, an increase of 30 per cent. The FCO Chevening scholarship scheme, adminstered by the British Council, brought 177 postgraduates to the UK in the academic year 2000–01, an increase of 29 students on the previous year. Under a DfES funded programme managed by the Council, school links increased from 20 to 80.
	Together with the BBC World Service and China's Open University, the Council launched its "in2english" project which reaches 250,000 teachers and students of English in China. 58,000 candidates sat English languages tests in some 20 cities in 2001, an increase of 100 per cent. on the previous year. 30 schools in the UK now teach Chinese.

British Council

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the findings are of the British Council's Connecting Futures research into attitudes towards the United Kingdom in the Arab and Muslim worlds; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Overall the results of the Connecting Futures research confirm a favourable attitude towards the UK among young people in the Arab and Muslim world, with 63 per cent. of those polled placing the UK high on their list of favourite nations. A high regard for British education and admiration for the consistently strong British economic performance were the two positive messages cited most often by respondents. Full details of the research findings are available via the internet at www.britishcouncil.org/connectingfutures.
	The research will be valuable in informing FCO and British Council efforts to further improve and build mutually beneficial relationships between these countries and the UK.

British Council

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the British Council has made in promoting United Kingdom science abroad; and if it will increase its levels of funding for the promotion of excellence of UK science internationally.

Denis MacShane: The British Council's recent work in this area has included the initiation of new UK collaboration with India in digital technology, biotechnology, the environment and medical research. Partnerships with broadcasting organisations have also enabled the Council to reach significantly wider audiences in promoting UK science in Hungary, Japan and Malaysia.
	The British Council is committed to increasing its share of Foreign and Commonwealth Office grant-in-aid funding to science from £5.4 million in 2001–02 to £8 million in 2003–04. This funding will be used to project UK science as innovative and internationally competitive, and to promote understanding in science in society, raising awareness of scientific themes of importance to the UK abroad.

WALES

Annual Leave

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average annual leave entitlement is for staff in his Department in 2002.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2002, Official Report, column 574W.

Staff Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the Department has spent on staff training and development in each of the last five years.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 26 April 2002, Official Report, column 501W.

Departmental Reports

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Wales Office departmental reports were sold in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002.

Paul Murphy: The numbers of Wales Office departmental reports sold in each of those years is:
	(a) 739
	(b) 724
	(c) 699.

Ministerial Salaries

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the annual cost was of ministerial salaries in his Department in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2001–02.

Paul Murphy: The level of ministerial salaries are recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body.
	My Department came into existence on 1 July 1999. From June 2001 it has had one Cabinet Minister at an annual salary of £68,157 and one Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State, at an annual salary of £26,835.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Report

Kali Mountford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he will publish the Cabinet Office departmental report 2001–02.

Tim Collins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Cabinet Office departmental report for 2002 will be published.

Douglas Alexander: Copies of the Cabinet Office departmental report 2001–02 were yesterday laid before Parliament, copies of which are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Temporary Land Use

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to change controls for temporary use of land under Part 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.

Tony McNulty: On 24 January 2002 a consultation paper was issued on possible options for change to the current temporary use provisions. The paper put forward six options for change as well as inviting proposals for alternative options. A preferred option was not given. The closing date for responses was 24 April 2002.
	We have had a significant response to the consultation paper and those views will be given due weight when considering any possible changes. Any changes that are made will only be after further consideration and decisions will not be taken lightly. However, the Government have no intention of disturbing urban and rural communities' traditional social and sporting activities through changes in this area.

Affordable Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which regional plans include estimates of the need for affordable housing in their region; and what the estimate is in each case.

Tony McNulty: Regional planning guidance in the south-east, south-west, east midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber all have indicators for monitoring the provision of affordable housing. All regions have policies on affordable housing in regional planning guidance.
	The indicators for monitoring affordable housing are 18,000–19,000 affordable homes per annum in the south-east region outside London, 6,000–10,000 per annum in the south-west, 3,400 dwellings per annum in the east midlands and 4,000 per annum in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Groundwork

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer by the Under-Secretary of State for International Development, the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) of 23 May 2002, Official Report, column 509W, on Groundwork, if he will indicate what the time scale is for reaching a decision on a Lancashire-wide Groundwork Trust.

Tony McNulty: We are currently awaiting further information from Groundwork UK in respect of the relationship and implications of the proposed pilot for a Lancashire-wide Groundwork Trust and the strategic functions currently carried out by existing Groundwork Trusts in the county, and on the arrangements for monitoring and evaluating the pilot. We plan to reach a decision before the summer recess.

Council Tax

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the percentage change in the council tax in county, district and unitary authorities in each of the past three years.

Nick Raynsford: Decisions on council tax levels are for local authorities to take, after consulting their local electorate and taxpayers.
	The table shows the percentage changes over the past three years in the average Band D (2 adults) council taxes set by shire county councils, shire district councils and unitary authorities.
	
		Percentage increase in average Band D (2 adults) council tax
		
			 Class of authority 2000–01 over 1999–2000 2001–02 over 2000–01 2002–03 over 2001–02 
		
		
			 Shire county councils 6.7 6.3 9.3 
			 Shire district councils 5.4 6.3 8.6 
			 Unitary authorities 5.7 6.1 8.2

High Hedges

Annette Brooke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if his Department has issued a leaflet on guidelines to local authorities on dealing with high hedges complaints.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to issue a leaflet on guidelines to local authorities on dealing with high hedge complaints. Until there is a change in the law, local authorities have no powers to intervene in these matters.
	We are preparing a leaflet for members of the public, advising them how they might approach their neighbours to try to agree a solution to their hedge problems. The leaflet will include information on a range of factors that people might consider in settling on the right hedge height for their particular circumstances. It will cover such matters as what heights will ensure privacy; those at which a hedge can be safely maintained; and those likely to block light to neighbouring properties.
	We expect to publish the leaflet later in the summer and will provide copies to all Members of Parliament.

High Hedges

Annette Brooke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress is being made to introduce legislation on controlling high hedges.

Tony McNulty: The Government supported the high hedges Bill introduced last session by the hon. Member for Solihull (John M. Taylor MP). Unfortunately, it fell due to lack of time before the election. Although it has not been possible to bring forward a high hedges Bill in the current session, we remain committed to legislation allowing local authorities to deal with complaints about high hedges as soon as parliamentary time can be found.

Fire-fighters

Chris Grayling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on recent representations he has received about fire-fighters' pay.

Nick Raynsford: We greatly appreciate the valuable contribution to public protection made by the fire service, and by the other emergency services. Our emergency services are rightly held in high regard for their professionalism and dedication.
	The Government have no statutory role in determining fire-fighters' pay. Representatives from local government, representing the employers, and from the Fire Brigades Union, representing employees, are responsible for negotiating fire-fighters' pay and conditions of service. These groups meet in the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades. We understand that the two sides are currently in discussion on the Fire Brigades Union pay claim, which was formally tabled on 28 May. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on the progress of these negotiations.

Neighbourhood Renewal Fund

Iain Coleman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to extend economic support to disadvantaged and deprived areas through the neighbourhood renewal fund beyond its allocation until 2003–04.

Tony McNulty: We are considering the future of the neighbourhood renewal fund in the context of spending review 2002, on which decisions will be announced in July.

Housing (Older People)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish the Choice and Quality in Housing for Older People strategy guidance that has been developed with the Department of Health.

Tony McNulty: The Government are producing two documents relating to older people's housing and related support. These will both be published late summer.
	The first document, "Quality and Choice for Older People's Housing: A Strategic Framework. The Story So Far", is the follow-up report on the actions for Government set out in the original strategic framework document published by the then Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Department of Health in January 2001.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, with the Department of Health and the Housing Corporation has also co-commissioned work on guidance for local authorities and their partner organisations in preparing older people's strategies.

Housing (Key Workers)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many station houses have been provided for key workers in London in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The Government no longer allocate specific funding to local authorities for housing improvement grants. Each housing authority must decide how much it will allocate towards this purpose from the total capital funding provided to it by the Government each year.
	Total capital resources made available for housing purposes for all authorities in England for 2002–03 is £2.5 billion. For Gloucestershire the figure for 2002–03 is £16.6 million, an increase of 85 per cent. on 1997–98.

Homelessness (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the national allocation to tackle homelessness, announced in the March 2002 report, "More Than a Roof", has been allocated to Castle Point borough council.

Tony McNulty: The Government are investing £125 million this financial year to tackle homelessness. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave, Official Report, (64265), which states that the Homelessness Directorate has not received an application for funding from Castle Point borough council towards implementing their homelessness strategy.
	£8 million per annum has been provided to local authorities (through the local government finance settlement, with effect from 2001–02) to implement the Homelessness Act. A further £10 million will be allocated in 2002–03 to assist local authorities to deliver the priority need order. It has not yet been decided what proportion of this money will go to individual local authorities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association are currently considering how the money will be shared.

Homelessness (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if Castle Point borough council has submitted an action plan to show how it will reduce numbers and length of stay for homeless families with children in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

Tony McNulty: Based on 2001 statistics, Castle Point was not identified as one of the highest users of bed-and-breakfast hotels (B&B). The authority was not, therefore, required to submit a B&B reduction action plan in the first round of applications for funding to reduce numbers of families with children in B&B. However, the latest data from Castle Point indicates that is has 20 homeless households in B&B, of which 16 are families with children. We will be contacting the authority shortly to discuss their proposals to meet the commitment that, by March 2004, no homeless family with children is in B&B except in an emergency and even then for no more than six weeks.
	Castle Point, like all authorities has been sent a 10-point check list of good practice, outlining the key 'building blocks' which we expect every authority to have in place to deliver reductions in B&B hotel use. In addition, the changes to housing benefit subsidies provide an incentive for authorities to lease private sector homes as a better quality alternative to B&B hotels.

Homelessness (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the Homeless Directorate in his Department has received a bid for funding to help local homeless people, from Castle Point borough council.

Tony McNulty: On 14 March 2002, local authorities were invited to submit proposals to the new Homelessness Directorate in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for funding for local homelessness strategies. These are being considered at the moment. Castle Point borough council have not submitted any proposals for funding.

Homelessness (Castle Point)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the additional money per year provided to local authorities in the revenue support grant to help them meet their new statutory obligations under the Homelessness Act 2002 has been allocated to Castle Point borough council.

Tony McNulty: The Government added £6.5/8/8 million to the general grant for 2001–02 to 2003–04 to meet local authorities' new statutory obligations under the Homelessness Act 2002. General grant is distributed to councils through standard spending assessments (SSA) which take account of various broad social and economic factors such as population. It is not possible to estimate how much of an authority's SSA relates to additional provision for particular responsibilities. It is, of course, for local authorities to decide how to allocate their general grant. Local authorities' responsibilities under the Homelessness Act 2002 are within the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services SSA Block.

Local Government Finance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost of local government in the north-west was in the last financial year.

Nick Raynsford: Local authorities within the north-west region have reported revenue expenditure 2001–02 budget figures totalling £8.3 billion. Revenue expenditure is expenditure funded by council tax, general Government grants, specific Government grants inside aggregate external finance and use of reserves.
	The 2001–02 forecast figure for total capital expenditure in the north-west region is £1.5 billion.

Regional Policy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many central Government Departments are not represented at a regional level within the network of Government offices; and what plans there are to increase the remit and responsibilities of regional staff.

Nick Raynsford: The Government offices support the work of nine Departments: the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Department for Education and Skills; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department for Transport; Department for Work and Pensions; Department of Health; Department of Trade and Industry; and Home Office.
	The Government will continue to look for further opportunities to integrate more closely other regional activities and networks within Government office structures.

DEFENCE

Forces Health (Afghanistan)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been taken to prevent further outbreaks of illness among British forces in Afghanistan.

Lewis Moonie: An infection control specialist and infection outbreak investigation team were deployed during the outbreak. Their recommendations have lead to a tightening up of existing sanitary and hygiene measures.

Forces Health (Afghanistan)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the field hospital at Bagram has re-opened following its closure as a result of illness.

Lewis Moonie: 34 field hospital at Bagram never closed although for a time it did not accept trauma patients, a measure that was lifted on 19 May 2002.

Forces Health (Afghanistan)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on hygiene standards of sanitary facilities used by British troops in Afghanistan.

Lewis Moonie: Afghanistan is a challenging environment which does place some limits on the sanitary facilities that can be provided. For example, there is not an unlimited supply of water. However, basic sanitary facilities are in place. Troops have access to showering facilities and the medical advice is that the deep trench latrines that are in place do not compromise hygiene standards, if well maintained.

Forces Health (Afghanistan)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the condition of the Royal Marines in Afghanistan who were struck down by illness during May.

Lewis Moonie: All British troops in Afghanistan who were suffering from winter vomiting disease during May have now recovered.

Seville European Council

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 24 June on the Seville European Council, if he will make a statement on the relationship between ESDP and NATO; and if it is the policy of the Government for NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe to play the central role in military planning to meet crises and contingencies for NATO and ESDP operations.

Geoff Hoon: The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) complements and reinforces NATO. The Government are continuing to work within both the EU and NATO to conclude agreement on the arrangements to enable the EU to have assured access to NATO's planning capacities. These arrangements, which cover the role of D/SACEUR, are crucial to the success of ESDP.

EU Rapid Reaction Force

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the extension of the EU Rapid Reaction Force's mandate to the fight against terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: There is no standing European Rapid Reaction Force. The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) seeks to enable the European Union to deal with the full range of conflict prevention and crisis management missions defined in the Amsterdam treaty, the "Petersberg Tasks". The European Council at Seville agreed a declaration concerning the contribution of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, including ESDP, in the fight against terrorism. This can already include the use of military forces if appropriate.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to test the blood and saliva of British nuclear test veterans for evidence of irradiation.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 394W, to the hon. Member for Angus (Mr. Weir).

Computers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are (a) in place and (b) under discussion in his Department in order to ensure compliance with the WEE Directive.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 12 June 2002, Official Report, column 1266W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr. Wilson).

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff were employed by his Department on (a) 2 May 1997 and (b) 31 May 2002.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 13 June 2002, Official Report, column 1402W, by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, (Mr. Alexander).

Strategic Sealift Capability

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made toward finalising the arrangements for the UK's future military strategic sealift capability.

Lewis Moonie: I am pleased to announce that negotiations with AWSR Shipping Ltd. have been concluded and a PFI contract that will run until 2024 has been signed. The full service will be available from 2003. AWSR will provide, operate, maintain and manage six roll-on roll-off vessels and supply crews for the whole of the period of their contract. 180 new jobs for British seafarers will be created. After a phase in period, crews will be sponsored reserves. Based on a projected usage, the service is worth some £950 million, of which some £800 million is likely to be spent in the United Kingdom.
	All six ships will not be needed all the time for Ministry of Defence work. When not engaged on MOD tasks they will be available for commercial trade.
	The service will play a central role in fulfilling our strategic defence review commitment to enhance the armed forces' equipment lift requirements and allow the movement of the joint rapid reaction forces quickly to overseas theatres as required.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

National Lottery

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the review of the licensing and regulation of the National Lottery.

Tessa Jowell: I am today publishing a consultation document, setting out a number of possible changes to the future licensing and regulation of the lottery.
	The document addresses the licensing arrangements which should apply when Camelot's second licence expires in January 2009. Our principal aim is to consider in good time therefore whether, and if so what, changes to the law governing the operation of the lottery are needed to ensure effective competition at that point, in the interests of maximising the income for good causes which it raises. The document takes account of the views of reports by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee and by the National Audit Office into the award of the second licence.
	The document also invites views on the issue of whether the lottery should continue to be regulated by the National Lottery Commission, or brought within the remit of the Gambling Commission which we propose to establish, as described in "A safe bet for success".
	We shall shortly be publishing a further document which sets out our thinking on the arrangements for the distribution of lottery income, with a view to ensuring that the money for good causes is spent to best effect.
	In this way, looking at both the income and distribution sides of the lottery, we aim to underpin its long-term success and appeal, so that the public can have confidence in supporting it.
	I am arranging for copies of the consultation document to be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. The consultation document is also available on the DCMS website at www.culture.gov.uk; and copies may be obtained, free of charge, from the Department. I shall be glad to consider comments on it.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Security Force Collusion Investigation

Clive Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make available the terms of reference according to which Mr. Justice Peter Cory will conduct his investigation into allegations of security force collusion.

John Reid: At the Weston Park talks last summer, the British and Irish Governments undertook to appoint a judge of international standing to conduct an investigation into allegations of collusion by the security forces in six particular cases. The two Governments announced the appointment of Mr. Justice Peter Cory, a former member of the Supreme Court of Canada, on 29 May 2002. I have placed a copy of the judge's terms of reference, which are set out in his letter of appointment, in the Library.

Police Service Annual Report

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he hopes to make available the annual report for 2001–02 of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

John Reid: Copies of the Chief Constable's annual report for 2001–02 will be placed in the Library tomorrow. It is a general report on the carrying out of the PSNI of their functions during 2001–02 financial year which is submitted to the Northern Ireland Policing Board and also to me for laying before Parliament in accordance with Section 58 (4) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.

Police Reserve

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will make a decision about the future of the Police Full-Time Reserve in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government remain committed to the objective of phasing out the Full-Time Reserve in line with the Patten report and the Implementation Plan.
	The Policing Board has asked the PSNI in the context of the service's overall human resources strategy, to prepare detailed proposals, including the Full-Time Reserve, to be considered by the board. I look forward to hearing the board's views, in conjunction with the chief constable's assessment, before final decisions are made.
	I understand the effect of uncertainty on officers and their families. I hope that it will be possible to reach conclusions on this issue shortly. In the meantime, the contracts of Full-Time Reserve officers will continue to be renewed.

Forensic Science

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has made a decision on the future of forensic science in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: pursuant to his reply, 8 May 2002, c. 199W
	I have agreed that the executive agency status of Forensic Science Northern Ireland should be continued until 31 March 2006. In addition, I have agreed with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury that Forensic Science will become a Trading Fund from 1 April 2004. My decisions follow the completion of Stage 1 of a quinquennial review which examined the past performance of Forensic Science and the alternative organisational arrangements available for the delivery of forensic services in Northern Ireland. Generally the agency was found to have performed well and I commend its staff for their dedication through a difficult period. Stage 2 of the review will now be carried out to look at ways of improving the delivery of services by the agency. Copies of the Stage 1 report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and will be available in due course on the NIO and Forensic Science websites.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Funding (Luton, South)

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what moneys have been provided (a) directly and (b) via agencies for which the Department has responsibility to the Luton, South constituency since 1997.

David Miliband: The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Departmental budgets are allocated on a national and regional basis and not by constituency.

Ministerial Meetings

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which Ministers and officials had meetings with representatives of (a) the Confederation of British Industry, (b) the Engineering Employees Federation, and (c) the Engineering Marine Training Authority during the last year; who they met; and what the subjects and outcomes of their discussions were.

Stephen Twigg: Ministers and civil servants have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development.
	As with previous Administrations, it is not this Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists.

Children (Deafness)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of children with deafness in full-time education in each in the last three years.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 13 June 2002
	Information on numbers of children with specific types of special need is not available centrally.
	The Department is considering introducing a requirement for schools and local education authorities to provide this information from 2004.

School Rolls

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total roll number was of the (a) January 2001 Year 10 and (b) January 2002 Year 11.

David Miliband: The requested information is not collected by year group. The nearest equivalent data collected by pupil age is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained secondary schools(3): number of full-time pupils by age -- England
		
			 Position at January of each year Aged(4) Number of pupils 
		
		
			 2001 14 559,422 
			 2002(5) 15 547,654 
		
	
	(3) Including middle-deemed
	(4) At 31 August of previous year
	(5) Provisional
	Source:
	Annual School Census

Specialist Teaching

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provision is available to teachers to assist them to deliver a wider range of specialisms and cross-curricular activities, particularly in vocational subjects.

David Miliband: holding answer 18 June 2002
	From September 2002 all those training to teach 11 to 14-year-olds will be trained in the Key Stage 3 Strategy emphasising the importance of cross curricular work. Those training to teach 14 to 18-year-olds will train to teach whatever national qualifications are relevant to their subject, including vocational qualifications, key skills and work related learning. An extensive programme of staff training and free support materials for schools and colleges is being funded by my Department to coincide with the introduction of new vocational GCSEs in September 2002. This is in addition to existing professional development opportunities which teachers can use to address any training needs on specialist or cross curricular activities.

Teacher Workload

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department has taken (a) to reduce the number of new initiatives and (b) to improve the rigour of assessment of those initiatives following the publication of the School Teacher's Review Body report on teacher workload.

David Miliband: We are consulting on the School Teachers' Review Body report on teacher workload. One of the recommendations concerns the management of initiatives and reporting requirements. We are discussing the best ways forward on this and other aspects of the report with the school workforce remodelling working party, which includes teacher and head teacher representatives. Following the current consultation exercise, we expect to make formal proposals in the autumn.
	Our strategic document "Education and Skills: Delivering Results A Strategy to 2002" describes how we will be working to improve delivery of our targets. We have worked with Cabinet Office to improve how we assess the impact of our policies on delivery partners, including the workload implications. This includes greater involvement of and consultation with schools about the best method of implementing new policies.
	The Government are committed to helping teachers raise standards in schools. Departmental initiatives are designed to spread good practice, tackle poor practice and sponsor innovate practice. Sometimes this involves streamlining departmental programmes—for example the national supplementative of the standards fund.

Schools (Voluntary Support)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information she has on the number of hours of voluntary support provided in schools and early years settings.

David Miliband: holding answer 24 June 2002
	The Government do not collect this information.

Staff Recruitment

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information she collates on the number of new staff recruited each year by schools, colleges and early years settings.

David Miliband: holding answer 24 June 2002
	The Department collects information from teacher pension records on teachers in service in the maintained schools sector in England at 31 March each year. From this information, numbers of new teachers can be compiled. The most recent data available are for 31 March 2000.
	The Department does not collect numbers of new staff recruited to further education colleges and early years settings, or numbers of new staff recruited to non-teaching posts in schools.

Criminal Records Checks

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what estimates she has made of the number of criminal records checks which need be carried out each year by school, colleges and early years settings;
	(2)  if she will estimate the annual cost of criminal records checks to schools, colleges and early years settings.

David Miliband: holding answer 24 June 2002
	There are no estimates of numbers or costs available in respect of schools and colleges. My Department does not collect the kind of information about the number of staff and volunteers in these areas that would enable estimates to be made, and therefore the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Ofsted arranges checks for those working in early years settings, such as childminders and day care staff, and it expects to request over 350,000 checks this year. We have set aside a sum of money to ensure that individuals in early years settings will not have to meet the CRB fee during the current financial year.

Examination Results

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils gained (a) five GCSEs at grade A-C and (b) two A-Levels in each local education authority in each year since 1999–2000, ranked by order of the most recent year.

David Miliband: holding answer 24 June 2002
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teacher Numbers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to ensure all schools in England and Wales have sufficient teachers for the beginning of the new academic year.

David Miliband: Schools are the employers and have primary responsibility for recruitment. Since 1997 the Government have introduced a series of measures to increase the number of teachers available to schools. They include measures to stimulate recruitment to initial teacher training, such as Training Salaries and "Golden Hellos"; a major boost to the Graduate Teacher programme for experienced entrants; a funded strategy for teachers' continuing professional development; extra pay flexibilities to allow schools to reward staff with scarce skills; extra support on behaviour management in the classroom; and funding for local Recruitment Strategy Managers within local education authorities. There were 9,400 more teachers in our schools in January 2002 than in January 2001—the biggest year-on-year rise for 20 years. There were also 26,700 more support staff in schools, and a 5 per cent. increase in the numbers of people starting initial teacher training courses.

Teacher Numbers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have failed the (a) numeracy and (b) literacy skills tests prior to entering teaching in each year since tests were introduced.

David Miliband: holding answer 26 June 2002
	The 1999–2000 teacher training cohort was the first to take a paper-based numeracy skills test. Following the first opportunities to take the test, 852 individuals had still to pass. Individuals had unlimited opportunities to pass the test throughout their induction period.
	The 2000–01 teacher training cohort took the computerised literacy and numeracy tests. As at 5 September 2001, 355 had still to pass either the numeracy or literacy skills tests. These individuals could enter teaching as unqualified teachers for up to five years and continue to have unlimited opportunities to pass the tests.
	The majority who fail the tests decide to re-sit. Figures are not available for this year as students are still taking the tests.

Teacher Numbers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to ensure that children in England and Wales are taught by teachers with the relevant subject qualifications.

David Miliband: holding answer 26 June 2002
	It is for schools, as employers, to employ the best available qualified people to teach their pupils and to deploy them appropriately. Preparations are in hand for a Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey which will collect information on teachers' subject qualifications.

Teacher Numbers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in England are being taught at (a) KS3 and (b) KS4 by teachers who do not have a qualification relevant to the subject being taught.

David Miliband: holding answer 26 June 2002
	The percentage of lessons taught by full-time teachers at November 1996 that were taught by a teacher with no post A-level qualification in that subject were as follows, by subject:
	
		
			   Percentages of periods  
			 Subject  KS3 KS4 
		
		
			 Mathematics 11 8 
			 English 14 8 
			 Biology(6) 17 9 
			 Chemistry(6) 6 1 
			 Physics(6) 7 3 
			 General Science(6) 5 4 
			 Other Sciences 79 63 
			 French 11 9 
			 German 20 15 
			 Spanish 28 27 
			 Other Modern Languages 76 49 
			 Design and Technology(7) 35 27 
			 Information Technology(7) 65 56 
			 Combined Technology(7) 34 31 
			 Home Economics 20 16 
			 Business Studies 25 33 
			 Classics 25 12 
			 History 17 6 
			 Religious Education 24 20 
			 Geography 15 8 
			 Other Social Studies 58 44 
			 Combined Arts/Humanities/Social Studies 84 78 
			 Music 4 1 
			 Drama 36 26 
			 Art 7 5 
			 Physical Education 5 6 
			 Careers Education 92 88 
			 Personal and Social Education 96 95 
			 General Studies 13 99 
			
			 Total(8),(9) 20 16 
		
	
	(6) Teachers qualified in general science are treated as qualified to teach biology, chemistry, or physics. Teachers qualified in biology, chemistry or physics are treated as qualified to teach general science.
	(7) Teachers qualified in other technology are treated as qualified to teach design and technology or information technology. Teachers qualified in design and technology or information technology are treated as qualified to teach combined technology.
	(8) Teachers are counted once against each subject which they are teaching.
	(9) 'Other' not included in total percentages.
	Note:
	This is the most recent available information.

Teacher Numbers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many individual students who failed (a) numeracy and (b) literacy skills tests for entering into teaching have not re-applied to take the tests.

David Miliband: holding answer 26 June 2002
	79 individuals in the 2000–01 cohort who failed (a) numeracy or (b) literacy skills tests for entry into teaching have not re-applied to take the test(s).
	The majority of those who fail decide to re-sit the tests. Figures are not available for this year as students are still taking the tests.

Teacher Numbers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list average salary for (a) primary teachers, (b) secondary teachers, (c) graduates in all other sectors and (d) all employees in each year since 1974.

David Miliband: holding answer 26 June 2002
	Average salaries for full-time teachers, for others in employment with a degree or above and for all full-time employees is shown in the following table.
	
		
			Full-time teachers(10)  
			   Nursery and primary Secondary Employees with a degree or better(11) All employees(12) 
		
		
			 1974 2,120 2,390 (13)— 2,170 
			 1975 3,220 3,550 (13)— 2,820 
			 1976 3,790 4,110 (13)— 3,350 
			 1977 4,180 4,460 (13)— 3,660 
			 1978 4,410 4,680 (13)— 4,120 
			 1979 4,900 5,180 (13)— 4,670 
			 1980 5,920 6,220 (13)— 5,750 
			 1981 7,430 7,790 (13)— 6,510 
			 1982 8,090 8,460 (13)— 7,120 
			 1983(12) 8,670 9,050 (13)— 7,730 
			 1983(12)7,690 
			 1984 9,160 9,580 (13)— 8,310 
			 1985 9,660 10,160 (13)— 8,920 
			 1986 10,490 11,120 (13)— 9,630 
			 1987 11,970 12,740 (13)— 10,370 
			 1988 12,920 13,780 (13)— 11,390 
			 1989 13,850 14,830 (13)— 12,500 
			 1990 14,500 16,020 (13)— 13,720 
			 1991 16,490 17,720 (13)— 14,850 
			 1992 18,450 19,950 (13)— 15,880 
			 1993 19,970 21,470 (13)— 16,520 
			 1994 20,280 21,630 23,570 16,980 
			 1995 20,860 22,200 23,880 17,540 
			 1996 21,370 22,730 26,280 18,340 
			 1997 22,080 23,480 26,910 19,170 
			 1998 22,700 24,130 27,320 20,050 
			 1999 (14)23,570 (14)25,060 28,890 20,860 
			 2000 (14)24,390 (14)25,930 30,090 (14)21,880 
			 2001 (15)26,143 (15)27,917 30,660 23,170 
		
	
	(10) Average salary of full-time teachers in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector of England and Wales at 31 March of each year 1974 to 2001. Figures cover all grades and include any allowances paid. Figures up to 1993 include sixth form colleges. The 2001 salary figures include those threshold pay increases that were made before March 2001. However, they do not include threshold pay increases relating to people who passed the threshold in September 2000 and had not received their payment by March 2001. This money was backdated after March 2001 and therefore the average salary for March 2001 will be understated. The estimated average salary in March 2001 for primary and secondary schools combined, including all threshold pay increases, is £27,800. Source: DfES Database of Teacher Records.
	(11) Average salary of those in full-time employment in the UK with a degree or better qualification, in the spring of years shown. Excludes teachers with such qualifications. Source: Labour Force Survey (as the New Earnings Survey does not include qualifications data). Gross weekly and hourly earnings data are known to be underestimated in the LFS. Earnings data is based on information from about two-fifths of all respondents. Respondents with hourly pay greater than £100 are excluded.
	(12) Average salary of those in full-time employment in GB whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence, at April of each year. Figures from 1974 to first row for 1983 are compiled on the basis of men aged 21+ and women aged 18+. Figures for second 1983 row and onwards are compiled on the basis of employees on adult rates. Figures for 1997 and 1998 include late receipts. Source: New Earnings Survey.
	(13) Not available.
	(14) Revised.
	(15) Provisional.

Pupil Participation

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on including in Ofsted's framework of school assessments measures that are being taken by schools to encourage and improve pupil participation in the school's decision-making process.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 26 June 2002
	No recent representations have been received about including an assessment of measures to encourage and improve pupil participation in Ofsted's framework.

Public Appointments

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many days elapsed between the departures of chief executives and the arrivals of successors for each non-departmental body funded by her Department and its predecessor Departments since 1979.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The information requested for NDPBs currently funded by my Department are as listed. Information on NDPBs previously funded by my Department but which no longer exist, could be provided only at disproportionate cost:
	Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI): David Sherlock, the first and current chief inspector, was appointed on 1 April 2001.
	British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA)—formerly National Council for Educational Technology (NCET): Noel Thompson was appointed as the first chief executive of NCET on 1 April 1990, he left the post on 28 February 1992. Between 1 March and 2 August 1992 the post was held by an interim chief executive, Graham Walters. Between 3 August 1992 and 31 January 1997 the post was held by Margaret Bell. Between 1 February and 2 September 1997 the post was held by another interim chief executive, Michael Littlewood. Between 3 September and 31 December 1997 Owen Lynch held the post on secondment. On 1 January 1998 Owen Lynch was appointed as the first chief executive of BECTA, a post he currently holds.
	Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): Professor Graeme Davies was appointed as the first chief executive in 1992, he left on 30 September 1995. Between 1 October 1995 and 30 September 2001 the post was held by Brian Fender. Sir Howard Newby, the current chief executive, was appointed on 1 October 2001.
	Investors in People UK (IIP UK): Mary Chapman, the first chief executive, left the post in May 1998. Ruth Spellman, the current chief executive, was appointed on 1 October 1998.
	Learning and Skills Council (LSC): John Harwood, the first and current chief inspector, was appointed on 1 October 2000.
	National College for School Leadership (NCSL): Heather Du Quesnay, the first and current director, was appointed on 1 September 2000.
	Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA): Dr. Nick Tate was appointed as the first chief executive in 1997, he left the QCA on 31 August 2000. Between 1 September 2000 and 31 December 2001 the post was held by Professor David Hargreaves. The post is currently filled temporarily by Beverley Evans, Ken Boston will take up post on 16 September 2002.
	Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA): Christopher Duff, the current chief inspector, was appointed on 22 April 2002.
	Student Loans Company (SLC): Ron Harrison was appointed as the first chief executive on 10 January 1990, he left the post on 10 March 1995. Between 11 March and 31 December 1995 the post was vacant. Colin Ward, the current chief executive, was appointed to the post on 1 January 1996.
	Teacher Training Agency (TTA): Anthea Millett was appointed as the first chief executive on 1 January 1995, she left on the post on 31 December 1999. Ralph Tabberer, the current chief executive, was appointed on 7 February 2000.

Children Leaving Care

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial assistance is offered to children who leave care at the age of 16 years to remain in full or part-time education.

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, which commenced on 1 October 2001, places a duty on local authorities to help care leavers with education and training, as appropriate in light of the individual young person's needs to the end of their agreed programme. Local authority support may be extended until a care leave's 24th birthday and can continue for longer if this is necessary to complete an agreed programme of education and training.

TREASURY

Overpayments (Crown Immunity)

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards Crown immunity in cases where taxpayers sue for the refund of overpayments made to the Inland Revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: My understanding is that the Inland Revenue does not have a legal right to claim Crown immunity where taxpayers claim refund of an overpayment of tax.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the consultation on the landfill tax credit scheme.

John Healey: The consultation on the future of the landfill tax scheme closed on 17 June. A summary of responses will be produced shortly.

Illegal Meat Imports

Tim Collins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the priority given by HM Customs and Excise to the prevention of illegal meat imports into the UK.

John Healey: Import controls to detect illegal import of meat and meat products are the responsibility of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and local or port health officers. HM Customs and Excise does not therefore specifically target its checks against the risk of illegal import of meat and meat products.
	Customs does however support the controls to prevent illegal import of meat and meat products by:
	Dealing with meat and meat products found in the course of checks made in relation to the wide range of controls for which Customs does have lead responsibility;
	Participating in joint exercises organised by DEFRA or local or port health officers;
	Supporting DEFRA and local and port health officers with information to assist in detection of illegal imports; and
	Contributing to the DEFRA led illegal imports programme, for example by assisting in developing risk assessment.

Network Rail

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the accounting advice given by the Office for National Statistics concerning Network Rail in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Yes, the letter from the Office for National statistics of 20 June 2002 giving accounting advice concerning Network Rail will be placed in the Library.

Network Rail

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the treatment of Network Rail debt on potential UK obligations under EMU convergence programmes and the stability and growth pact.

Paul Boateng: Network Rail will be classified to the private sector in national accounts. It would pose no threat to UK obligations under EU treaties that concern excessive government deficits.

Network Rail

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what submissions his Department has made to the ONS about the treatment of Network Rail debt in the national accounts; and if he will set out the reasoning behind those submissions.

Paul Boateng: Over the months since October 2001 Treasury has kept ONS informed about the developing proposals for the constitution and financing of Network Rail in order to give ONS the opportunity to ask questions affecting the sector classification.
	On 14 June 2002 Treasury wrote to ONS asking for a formal decision on the sector classification of Network Rail in national accounts. ONS replied on 20 June saying that, subject to NR's members confirming the board of directors, and further checking of the legal documents, NR would be classified to the private sector in national accounts. The reasoning behind the submissions was to obtain ONS's view on the sector classification of Network Rail, and to make sure that ONS received in good time all the information it needed to make that decision and raise any queries.

Network Rail

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Department for Transport about the treatment of Network Rail debt in the national accounts.

Paul Boateng: Treasury officials have advised the Department for Transport that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) would classify Network Rail (NR) to the private sector in national accounts once its board of directors had been confirmed by a meeting of NR's members.

"Modernising Annuities"

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the figures underlying the graph on page 19 of "Modernising Annuities" published by the Inland Revenue in February; what the date is in each year for which the figures are valid; and what the source is of the date used for earnings, annuity rates and value of maturing personal pension funds.

Ian McCartney: I have been asked to reply.
	The information in the table sets out the figures underlying the graph on page 19 of "Modernising Annuities" published by the Inland Revenue and the Department of Work and Pensions in February.
	
		
			 Year started contributing Retire at end year Years of contribution Lump sum built up (£) Lump sum in 2000 earnings terms (£) Annuity rate in last year of contribution Pension at retirement (nominal terms, £ weekly) Pension at retirement (2000 earnings terms, £ weekly) 
		
		
			 1956 1986 31 17,681 38,694 14.1 48 105 
			 1957 1987 31 21,066 42,786 14.0 57 115 
			 1958 1988 31 23,845 44,503 13.7 63 117 
			 1959 1989 31 25,578 43,792 14.0 69 118 
			 1960 1990 31 27,866 43,460 15.2 82 127 
			 1961 1991 31 34,243 49,608 14.6 96 139 
			 1962 1992 31 41,169 56,297 13.2 105 143 
			 1963 1993 31 53,666 71,268 11.7 121 161 
			 1964 1994 31 47,497 60,865 11.6 106 135 
			 1965 1995 31 57,034 70,893 11.3 124 154 
			 1966 1996 31 60,718 72,850 11.0 129 154 
			 1967 1997 31 71,040 81,762 10.4 141 163 
			 1968 1998 31 85,598 93,743 9.4 155 169 
			 1969 1999 31 80,168 83,738 8.9 138 144 
			 1970 2000 31 85,438 85,438 9.1 149 149 
			 1971 2001 31 83,936 80,348 8.9 143 137 
		
	
	The figures are based on hypothetical modelling of the return from contributing to a pension fund using the following assumptions:
	A person contributes to a personal pension for 31 years.
	The earnings of each individual go up in line with average earnings.
	Each individual contributes 10 per cent. of their earnings into a personal pension.
	For the first 21 years, the fund is invested in equities, providing a return in line with the FT30 price index (dividends are ignored to allow for the effect of charges).
	Over the last 10 years of contributions, the fund is switched into gilts at a rate of 10 per cent. of the fund each year.
	The return on gilts is in line with the Barclays capital total return index.
	A further annual charge of 1 per cent. of the fund under management is paid out of the fund each year.
	Upon retirement on 31 December of the given year, an annuity is purchased at the prevailing rate of that year. Date and sources of information:
	Historical annuity rates provided by Annuity Direct; and the rates refer to level annuity for a male aged 65, single life, guaranteed 5 years.
	The annuity rates were calculated by taking the average of monthly rates for each year. The annuity rates for 2001 refer to the average of monthly rates from January to October only. Earnings:
	The average earnings series from 1963 to December 2001 is taken from National Statistics publication, 'The Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings, 2001 Edition'.
	Two indices have been put together to form a monthly average earnings series, starting from 1963. The Index of Average Earnings from 1963 to 1975 covered employees in all industries and services, except postal services, banking and medical services. The Average Earnings Index (whole economy) from 1976 to present covered all employees.
	Prior to 1963 the earnings series was constructed by back calculating using the annual growth in average earnings of full time male manual employees.
	Figures for 2001 refer to the average of monthly rates from January to October only.
	The FT 30:
	Figures taken from: Economic Trends Annual Supplement, Office for National Statistics.
	Figures for 2001 refer to the average of monthly rates from January to September only.
	Gilt Rates:
	Barclays capital total return index
	Figures for 2001 refer to estimates after the end of October 2001.

Treasury Building PFI

Richard Bacon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total professional fees were for the Treasury Building PFI deal, broken down by (a) payer and (b) payee.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 22 May 2002
	Further to my right hon. Friend the former Chief Secretary's reply to the hon. Member on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 840W, the total professional fees paid by Exchequer Partnership and HMT to date are as follows:
	(i) Professional fees paid by EP to date total £22.08 million. £6.968 million of these fees were accounted for in the earlier reply. Of the remaining £15.112 million, the major payees were Foster and Partners (architects) £5.68 million, Waterman Partnership (structural engineers) £1.63 million, Jaros Baum and Bolles (mechanical and electrical engineers) £1.57 million, Hanscomb (quantity surveyors) £1.48 million and Stanhope plc (property developers) £1.47 million.
	(ii) Professional fees payable by HMT to date total £3.223 million and were payable to the firms listed in the table. Of this sum, £2.637 million was accounted for in the earlier answer.
	
		
			   £ million 
		
		
			 GTMS Project Management and Technical Advice 0.802 
			 Berwin Leighton Legal Advice 1.345 
			 Dresdner Kleinwort Benson Financial Advice 0.660 
			 DEGW Change Management Advice 0.16 
			 Cecil Denny Highton Advice on Accommodation requirements 0.101 
			 CB Hillier Parker Specialist property-related Advice 0.013 
			 Roger Preston and Partners Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Advice 0.043 
			 Willis Corroon Insurance Advice 0.006 
			 PriceWaterHouseCoopers Accountancy Advice 0.033 
			   3.223

Customs and Excise

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions Customs and Excise have seized pirated (a) video cassettes, (b) compact discs and (c) DVDs at UK ports of entry in each of the last five years; and what quantities were seized on each occasion.

John Healey: Customs do not maintain separate totals of seizures in the categories requested. Details of all seizures of such goods are provided to the European Commission who now compile annual statistics and publish them on their website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation—customs/customs/counterfeit—piracy/statistics/uk—en.pdf.
	These statistics show video cassettes, compact discs and DVDs as a single category. For the year 2000 there were 556 seizures totalling 38,138 items seized. This includes both pirated items (i.e. those breaching copyright) and counterfeit items (those with false trade marks). Figures for earlier years are not available.

ECOFIN Council

Roger Casale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held on 20 June; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: I attended the ECOFIN meeting on 20 June.
	ECOFIN agreed the Commission's recommendations for the broad economic policy guidelines for 2002 to 2003. The UK supports the guidelines which emphasise the importance of further structural reform in Europe. Following discussion at the Seville European Council the guidelines were adopted by ECOFIN on June 21.
	ECOFIN discussed arrangements for launching the Euro-Mediterranean Facility in the European Investment bank. It was decided that the facility would be launched in the autumn on the basis of the commission's funding plan but that the European Investment bank, the commission and the council would take forward discussions on the allocation of funds for the facility.
	The council agreed two reports to go to the European Council at Seville. The first was a progress report on energy taxation, and the second an updated report on the tax package, following the launch of negotiations with the Swiss on the tax on savings.
	Commissioner Bolkestein gave a short oral report to the council on the work of the financial action task force in combating terrorist financing and ECOFIN noted that this work was progressing satisfactorily.
	ECOFIN was also updated by the chair of the Economic and Financial Committee on on-going work to improve corporate governance in the EU.
	The council also reached political agreement on a directive on taxation of biofuels.
	No votes were taken at the meeting.

Earnings Statistics

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the (a) weekly median earnings and (b) distribution of earnings for those earning (i) under the point below which 10 per cent. of earners fall and (ii) the point above which 10 per cent. of earners exceed, are in (A) Scotland and (B) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland, broken down by (1) all manual, (2) all non-manual and (3) all workers;
	(2)  what proportion of full-time workers in (a) Scotland, (b) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (c) Great Britain have hourly earnings (i) including and (ii) excluding overtime below (A) £7.97, (B) £7.32, (C) £5.38 and (D) £4.10 broken down by categories (1) male manual, (2) male non-manual, (3) all male workers, (4) female manual, (5) female non-manual, (6) all female workers, (7) all manual, (8) all non-manual and (9) all workers.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 25 June 2002
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Annabelle Ewing, dated 27 June 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent questions on the distribution of weekly earnings and average hourly earnings for workers in Great Britain, Scotland and the unitary authorities in Scotland. (63696 & 63697)
	I am placing in the House of Commons Library, tables showing average weekly earnings, both including and excluding overtime, (Table 1) and the proportion of people earning below the different thresholds you listed, both including overtime (Table 2) and excluding overtime (Table 3).
	The New Earnings Survey (NES) can provide earnings data for small geographical areas. The release of NES data is restricted to figures that are derived from a sufficiently large sample of employees, and have an acceptable level of accuracy and I have provided the available data for Scotland, the unitary authorities in Scotland and Great Britain only for those areas where the samples are large enough. These are based on the 2001 NES, the latest survey for which data are available.

Age Discrimination

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 10 June 2002
	HM Treasury and its executive agency, the Debt Management Office, do not apply age restrictions on applications for employment, with the exception that we cannot consider applicants above our maximum retirement age of 60.

NATS

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2002, Official Report, column 130W, on NATS, what arrangements have been put in place to succeed the Troika insurance scheme.

Ruth Kelly: The Government's Troika insurance scheme for aviation third party terrorism risks was due to come to an end on 30 June. Provision of insurance under Troika has now been extended for a further 60 days, and will now come to an end at 23:59 on 29 August. Discussions are continuing in Europe on possible insurance arrangements to succeed individual government insurance schemes for aviation, and on developments in the commercial aviation insurance market.

Capital Returns

Peter Lilley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has collated on the pre-tax rate of return on capital employed for the UK (a) banking, (b) pharmaceutical and (c) telecommunications industry in each year since 1990.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Peter Lilley
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what information has been collected on the pre-tax rate of return on capital employed for the UK (a) banking, (b) pharmaceutical and (c) telecommunications industry in each year since 1990. I am replying in his absence. (64962)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish data on the rates of return for Private Non-Financial Companies in the "Profitability of UK Companies" Press Notice (which is available to download free from the www.statistics.gov.uk website). The most detailed breakdown available in this release covers total Manufacturing and total Service Sector rates of return. No further disaggregation into Pharmaceutical or Telecommunications Industries is available. The ONS does not have any information on the rates of return for Financial Companies (including Banks).

Annual Leave

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average annual leave entitlement is for staff in his Department in 2002.

Ruth Kelly: The annual leave entitlement for staff below the senior civil service is:
	25 days on entry and 30 days after seven years service. The annual leave entitlement for members of the senior civil service is currently set by the Cabinet Office at 30 days.
	Information about average leave entitlement can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Insurance Cover

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place to assess and monitor information compiled by the insurance industry as a basis for determining contracts of cover.

Ruth Kelly: Determining whether to offer cover, and terms and prices of contracts, are for the commercial judgment of insurers. Except for certain specified circumstances, insurers are free to gather and use whatever obtainable information they believe is relevant. It is in insurers' interests to only use relevant and accurate information. Government does not assess or monitor the compilation of such information.

Flooding

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has received on the accuracy of information compiled by the insurance industry relating to flood risks; and what action he plans to take.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury regularly receives representations on a wide variety of issues. The Environment Agency is working hard to improve the availability of accurate flood risk information; this includes liaison with the Association of British Insurers.

Nauru

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what counter measures the United Kingdom Government have taken in respect of the Financial Action Task Force recommendations concerning Nauru; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The UK has implemented all the FATF counter measures against Nauru, through guidance issued by the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group.
	UK financial institutions conduct enhanced scrutiny of business dealings with financial institutions from all countries on the FATF's Non Co-operative Countries and Territories list. In the case of Nauru, UK financial institutions would treat business dealings with even greater caution and would be more likely to make a Suspicious Transaction Report to the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many EU applicant countries he has visited since 1 May 1999.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor of the Exchequer visited Malta on 20 September 2000 to attend the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting.

Ministerial Meetings

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Chairman of the IMF.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly meets Horst Kohler, the Managing Director of the IMF, including at the international meetings of the IMF, World bank and G7 Finance Ministers' Meetings.

Early Retirement

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would have been the impact on (a) tax revenues, (b) pension funds and (c) gross domestic product if all those who have taken early retirement had instead worked until their statutory retirement age for the period 1982 to 2002.

Ruth Kelly: Between 1984 and 2000 activity rates of individuals aged 50 and over have remained broadly constant at just under 70 per cent., with the male activity rate falling slightly while the female rate has risen. Currently, only 39 per cent. of men are still in employment at age 64, 47 per cent. of women at age 59.
	With increasing life expectancy, pensions will have to last longer requiring more pension saving by individuals themselves and through occupational arrangements. The Government have policies in place to enable and encourage people to work longer and save more for retirement. The new deal 50 plus was introduced nationally in April 2000, and has helped over 60,000 older people find work. The Government are also, through the Age Positive campaign, challenging ageist employment practices; and is committed to legislating against age discrimination in employment and training by 2006.

SCOTLAND

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by her Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 26 April 2002
	The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	Since that date my Department has incurred no expenditure in leadership skills for Ministers. Officials in my Department have access to a wide range of training and development opportunities including leadership skills. Leadership is often one element of a wider personal development programme. Information on the amount attributed to development of leadership skills from such programmes could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Data Protection

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has to propose legislation on the application of the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to unstructured personal information in manual form, so that the rights of access granted to data subjects are the same in Scotland as they are in England; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: While the subject matter of the Data Protection Act 1998 is reserved, the amendments made by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to extend the scope of the Data Protection Act to cover unstructured personal data held by UK public authorities (as defined in the Freedom of Information Act) do not apply to such data held by Scottish public authorities. However, the Scottish Executive has indicated that it intends to provide the same rights of access to personal information held by Scottish public authorities as those contained in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as regards personal information held by UK public authorities.

Certified Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start within the next six months; and what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure certified timber.

Helen Liddell: My Department has no refurbishment projects in progress or planned within the next six months.

Scottish Older People's Consultative Forum

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many seats the Scottish Older People Advisory Group has on the Scottish Older People's Consultative Forum.

Anne McGuire: The Scottish Older People's Consultative Forum is chaired by the Scottish Executive and considers devolved matters. Therefore, any questions about its composition are for the Scottish Parliament.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General how much has been spent by her Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Lynda Clark: holding answer 26 April 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons were entitled to receive each benefit and tax credit at the most recent date for which information is available; and how many had (a) become entitled and (b) ceased to be entitled, in the preceding 12 months.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 11 June 2002
	We aim to ensure that people are in an informed position to make choices on whether to claim benefit and we are the first Government to encourage the active pursuit of take-up initiatives as a means of tackling pensioner poverty. On 30 May 2000 we launched the minimum income guarantee (MIG) take-up campaign and this resulted in a further 127,371 successful MIG claims.
	The available information on benefit take-up is published in the Income-Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 1999–2000, a copy of which is available in the Library. Tax credits are the responsibility of the Inland Revenue.
	Information on the number of people receiving social security benefits is available in the Library in the following publications:
	Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance—Disability, Care and Mobility Benefits Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, August 2001;
	Income Support—Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2001; Jobseeker's Allowance; Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2001.
	Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance—Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance Quarterly Summary Statistics November 2001;
	Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit—Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Summary Statistics for November 2001; and
	Retirement Pension—Retirement Pension Summary of Statistics, September 2001.
	The available information on the number of people who have stopped and started receiving social security benefits has been placed in the Library. In addition, this table gives the number of people receiving bereavement benefits, child benefit, guardians allowance, industrial injuries disablement benefit, invalid care allowance, maternity allowance and reduced earnings allowance.

Benefits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the planned phases for the transfer of benefit payments to automated credit transfer.

Malcolm Wicks: Customers will be moved from order books and girocheques to payment into a bank or building society account on a benefit by benefit basis. This will start in 2003 and we plan to finish two years later. We plan to start to contact the first customers in late 2002. Even after the move to payments directly into accounts, customers will still be able to continue to collect their benefits in cash from the Post Office if they wish.

Carers

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the additional cost to a person of caring for a disabled person; and what element of this is provided for in the state pension;
	(2)  what representations he has received regarding the rule that invalid care allowance cannot be paid to people of pensionable age; and what plans he has to review this rule.

Maria Eagle: No estimates of the additional cost to a person of caring for a disabled person are available and the state pension does not contain an element in respect of caring responsibility, but carers entitlement to state pension is protected through contribution credits and the home responsibilities protection scheme. In addition, from April this year some 2 million carers are able to build up entitlement to an additional pension through the state second pension.
	As part of the substantial package of measures to help carers announced in autumn 2000, the Government have responded positively to representations made by older carers and their organisations by abolishing the age 65 upper age limit for claims to invalid care allowance. This change comes into effect on 28 October 2002. It will enable older carers with little of no retirement pension to receive the allowance, while those with low incomes will benefit by gaining access to the carer premium paid with income-related benefits, and follows the substantial increases to the carer premium and to the earnings limit for entitlement to invalid care allowance made in April 2001. Overall these measures, together with the continued payment of invalid care allowance for up to eight weeks after the death of the severely disabled person being cared for, will provide over £500 million in extra support for carers over three years.

In-work Benefits (Administration)

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) costs associated with moving in-work benefit administration from his Department to the Inland Revenue and (b) other costs his Department incurred in each year since 1999–2000 with regard to the working families tax credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The project costs to this Department associated with replacing family credit with working families tax credit in 1999 are estimated at £1.5 million for 1998–99 and £1.6 million for 1999–2000.
	No figures are available for the on-going costs—information provided to customers about working families tax credit is part of the package of information given to them about the benefits of moving into work.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 378W, on pensions, if he will update his estimates based on the Family Resources Survey 2000–01 of (a) median pensioner incomes, excluding means-tested benefits, by (i) age, (ii) sex and (iii) marital status, and (b) the size of each group.

Ian McCartney: The information required is in the table.
	
		
			  Age 60–64 Age 65–69 Age 70–74 Age 75–79 Age 80+ 
		
		
			 Single males  
			 Median income (£) n/a 138 141 136 132 
			 Number n/a 230,000 260,000 240,000 290,000 
			 Single females  
			 Median income (£) 132 127 127 116 109 
			 Number 380,000 470,000 630,000 670,000 1,000,000 
			 Couples  
			 Median income (£) n/a 296 258 236 211 
			 Number n/a 980,000 760,000 510,000 410,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The definition of income used here is gross income, that is income gross of the following items: income tax payments, national insurance contributions, contributions to occupational and personal pension schemes, local taxes, maintenance, child support payments and parental contributions to students living away from home.
	2. "Median income" represents the income of the person or family exactly in the middle of the range of ranked incomes of the age group. For each age group there is a wide range of incomes.
	3. The data are from the Family Resources Survey 2000–01 and are rounded to the nearest £1 or 10,000.
	4. Estimates are for pensioner units. Pensioner units are defined as single (non-cohabiting) people over state pension age (65 and over for men, 60 and over for women) and couples (married or cohabiting) where the man is over state pension age.
	5. Pensioner units are allocated to age categories according to the age of the head. The head of a couple is defined as the man.
	6. Estimates have not been split by gender for couples as the extent of income sharing within pensioner units is not known.
	7. Means tested benefits refer to minimum income guarantee, working families' tax credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and social fund grants.
	8. These results are based on survey respondents' identification of different elements of benefit income, and are therefore subject to misreporting.

Pensions

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if it is his policy to regard money purchase pension schemes as broadly comparable with final salary pension schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Both defined benefit and defined contribution pensions have their advantages and disadvantages. However, the Government's principal concern is to ensure that as much money goes into the pension pot as possible, and is not spent on the cost of selling or running the pension fund.
	Over a whole working life, if contributions to a defined benefit scheme were the same as those to a defined contribution scheme we would expect the pension benefits to be broadly comparable.

New Deal

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Portsmouth, South constituency found permanent employment as a result of the New Deal for (a) long term unemployed 25 plus, (b) lone parents, (c) disabled people and (d) 50 plus in each of the years since they were introduced; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Information on the New Deal for Disabled People is not available at constituency level. Such information as is available is in the table.
	
		
			  Programme  
			  New Deal 25 plus(16) New Deal 50 plus(17) New Deal for Lone Parents(17) 
		
		
			  Total number of people entering sustained employment(18), in Portsmouth, South 
			 1998–99 30 (19)— 20 
			 1999–2000 20 (19)— 100 
			 2000–01 10 50 120 
			 2001–02 60 70 140 
		
	
	(16) In April 2001 New Deal 25 Plus was extended and enhanced, to provide a flexible, more individually-tailored service to help more people get jobs and remain in them.
	(17) Figures for sustained employment are not given for the New Deal 50 plus and the New Deal for Lone Parents. The figures given are therefore the total number of jobs gained.
	(18) Sustained employment is defined as employment lasting more than 13 weeks.
	(19) Figures are not available as the New Deal 50 plus was only introduced nationally from April 2000.
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database.

Benefit Fraud

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding has been given for investigating benefit fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: For details of the Department's spending, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 618W.

Bereavement Benefits

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the rules on awarding backdated benefits to men widowed before the introduction of the 2001 changes to bereavement benefits.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 21 June 2002
	We have no plans to do so. There is continuing litigation and the matter will be kept under review.
	We reformed benefits in widowhood by introducing bereavement benefits from 9 April 2001. Before then there was no statutory basis to make payments of widow's benefits to men. The Government have said already that in making those reforms their obligation was to future widowers and widows. The reforms in 2001 met this obligation and went further. The new widowed parents allowance was available to existing widowers from its introduction in April 2001.

Stakeholder Pensions

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on compliance by small and medium enterprises with stakeholder pension notification arrangements.

Ian McCartney: Firms with five or more employees are required to designate a stakeholder pension scheme for their staff, unless exempted from doing so because they provide an occupational scheme for their work force or allow their staff access to a personal pension scheme to which the employer makes a contribution of at least 3 per cent. of the employee's basic pay. Part of this designation process involves consulting relevant employees prior to selection of a scheme and then notifying them of the name and address of their designated stakeholder pension scheme. They must also allow representatives of the designated scheme reasonable access to their employees in order to supply them with information about the scheme. The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra), which has responsibility for regulating compliance with all aspects of the designation process, has received no specific reports of firms failing to notify employees of their stakeholder arrangements. However it is a matter that they sometimes come across on following up a report alleging non-designation. Reports to Opra tend to be of a general nature rather than alleging a specific breach of one part of the designation requirement. To date Opra has received 361 reports alleging lack of workplace access to a stakeholder pension scheme, of which 327 have been resolved.
	Figures on designations of stakeholder pension schemes are not broken down by size of company. However the majority of employers required to designate a stakeholder pension scheme for their work forces are small to medium enterprises. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has reported that around 322,000 of those 350,000 employers estimated as required to do so had designated a stakeholder pension scheme for their staff by the end of March 2002. This represents a compliance rate of around 90 per cent.

Overseas Residents (Benefits)

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list in chronological order each reciprocal bilateral agreement involving the UK for the vertical payment of social security benefits, indicating restrictions on their payment in full to beneficiaries resident abroad.

Malcolm Wicks: The main purpose of such reciprocal agreements is to protect the social security position of workers moving between the two countries during their working lives. They prevent employees, their employers and the self-employed from having to pay social security contributions to both the home state and the state of employment at the same time and ensure that such workers' rights to certain benefits are maintained. They vary to some extent from country to country depending on the nature and scope of the other country's social security scheme. Generally, they cover contributory benefits in respect of the following contingencies: sickness, invalidity, unemployment, retirement, bereavement and industrial injuries. Workers who have contributed to both countries schemes during their working lives can usually receive an old age pension from each country which reflects the proportionate amount of their insurance in, or contributions to, each country's scheme.
	The reciprocal bilateral social security agreements involving the UK are as follows:
	The National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Italy) Order 1953/884
	The National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Luxembourg) Order 1955/420
	The National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Netherlands) Order 1955/874
	The National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (France) Order 1958/597
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Belgium) Order 1958/771
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Yugoslavia) Order 1958/1263
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Denmark) Order 1960/211
	The National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Republic of Ireland) Order 1960/707
	The National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Turkey) Order 1961/584
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Germany) Order 1961/1202
	The National Insurance (Republic of Ireland) Order 1966/707
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Switzerland) Order 1969/384
	The Social Security (Bermuda) Order 1969/1686
	The National Insurance (Republic of Ireland) Order 1971/1742
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Gibraltar) Order 1974/555
	The Family Allowance, National Insurance and Industrial Injuries (Spain) Order 1975/415
	The Social Security (Isle of Man) Order 1977/2150
	The Social Security (Portugal) Order 1979/921
	The Social Security (Austria) Order 1981/605
	The Social Security (Mauritius) Order 1981/1524
	The Social Security (Cyprus) Order 1983/1698
	The Social Security (New Zealand) Order 1983/1894
	The Social Security (Finland) Order 1984/125
	The Social Security (Israel) Order 1984/354
	The Social Security (United States of America) Order 1984/1817
	The Social Security (Iceland) Order 1985/1202 (as amended by SI 1982/3211)
	The Social Security (Sweden) Order 1988/590 (as amended by SI 1982/3213)
	The Social Security (Philippines) Order 1989/2002
	The Social Security (Norway) Order 1991/767 (as amended by SI 1982/3212)
	The Social Security (Barbados) Order 1992/812
	The Social Security (Jersey and Guernsey) Order 1994/2802
	The Social Security (Canada) Order 1995/2699
	The Social Security (Malta) Order 1996/1927 (replaced 1956/1987 and 1958/727)
	The Social Security (Jamaica) Order 1997/871 (replaced 1972/1587)
	The Social Security (United States of America) Order 1997/1778 (supplementary to SI 1984/1817 above).

Jobseeker's Allowance

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if it is possible for jobseeker's allowance claimants to have their records removed from the Department computer system.

Malcolm Wicks: Procedures are already in place to ensure that customer records are routinely deleted from the jobseeker's allowance computer system where they have been inactive for four years. There are important business reasons for retaining customer information for this period, for example, because these records may be needed to support Inland Revenue tax rebates.
	Any information recorded by the Department must be factually correct. If a person believes that we have recorded inaccurate information about them, they should in the first instance approach the Department to request its amendment or removal.

Pensioner Poverty (Stroud)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have been lifted out of poverty in the Stroud constituency since 1997.

Ian McCartney: Poverty and social exclusion are complex concepts, affecting many aspects of people's lives; including their living standards, health, housing and quality of environment. The third annual report, "Opportunity for All—Making Progress" (CM 5260), sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents the latest information on the indicators used to monitor progress against this strategy. A copy is available in the Library.
	The minimum income guarantee (MIG) was introduced in April 1999 to provide money for the poorest pensioners as quickly as possible. 2,600 pensioners are receiving the MIG in the Stroud constituency.
	To ensure that all pensioners share in rising prosperity, the basic state pension has risen by £3 a week for single pensioners and £4.80 for couples on top of above-inflation increases last year. This is in addition to the introduction of winter fuel payments, currently £200 per household, made to 22,100 pensioners in the Stroud constituency and free TV licences for the over-75s.
	Source:
	Income Support Statistical Enquiry, February 2002.

City and County of Swansea Council

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the inspection report of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in respect of city and county of Swansea council.

Malcolm Wicks: The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's (BFI) report on the city and county of Swansea council was published today and copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
	This follow-up inspection report shows that the council has progressed from being a poorly performing authority in 1999 to one that was now performing to a satisfactory level in most areas.
	The first inspection found that Swansea had struggled to administer housing benefit and council tax benefit effectively and that a backlog of work had built up. However, the follow-up inspection found that the council had taken steps to address the recommendations in BFI's first report, which had reduced the level of outstanding work.
	BFI's first report stated that the council's counter fraud performance was suffering due to a lack of management control. Inspectors found that this had improved at the time of the follow-up inspection and Swansea was committed to the personal and collective development of the investigation team.
	Swansea administered some £59.1 million in housing benefits in 2000–01.
	The report makes recommendations to help the council address weaknesses and to improve the administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit, as well as counter fraud activities.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for its proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI.

Cardiff County Council

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the inspection report of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in respect of Cardiff county council.

Malcolm Wicks: The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's (BFI) report on Cardiff county council was published today and copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
	The report finds that, generally, the council performed well in administering benefits but needed to improve counter fraud work.
	Inspectors found a marked difference in performance between the city hall and area office teams. Performance was poorer, and sickness levels higher, at the city hall which was dealing with a backlog of 4,500 documents.
	The report notes good performance in a number of areas including the verification of claims, a good working relationship with the Benefits Agency, excellent complaints procedures and good internal audit practices.
	Areas of poor performance included decision notices that did not comply fully with legislation, fraud investigations which were curtailed too early meaning that Cardiff was unable to prosecute fraudsters, and the lack of a counter fraud publicity policy and risk analysis of fraud.
	There was mixed performance in dealing with overpayments of benefit with the classification of overpayments being poor. Inspectors note that the council had begun to improve in this area.
	The council had a service improvement plan in place prior to the inspection. This comprehensive plan addresses many of the points that the report identifies. Elected members and staff are jointly driving through the objectives of the plan.
	Cardiff administered some £80 million in housing benefits in 1999–2000.
	The report makes recommendations to help the council address weaknesses and to improve the administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit, as well as counter fraud activities.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for its proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI.

Special Advisers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many special advisers were employed by himself and his predecessor (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive; and what the total amount spent on special advisers by the Department was in each of those years.

Ian McCartney: Two special advisers were employed by the Department of Social Security and subsequently by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in each year from 1997 to 20 January 2002. From 21 January 2002, in recognition that DWP now has a Minister who attends Cabinet, it employed three special advisers.
	Details of costs for special advisers with individual Departments are not given in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

Independent Remuneration Panel

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the work of the independent remuneration panel.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	Local authorities are required to establish and maintain an independent remuneration panel. The purpose of this panel is to make recommendations to the authority about the allowances to be paid to elected members. Authorities are under a duty to have regard to the recommendation of their independent remuneration panel when establishing their scheme and levels of allowances.

Means-tested Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimate is of the cost of means-tested benefits for (a) men over 65 and (b) women over 60 for 2002–03.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. The costs of means tested benefits, that is the minimum income guarantee, housing benefit and council tax benefit, to people aged 60 and over for 2002–03 are estimated to be £10.415 million.
	Source:
	Departmental Report 2002.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Immigration Appellate Authority

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what reasons have been given for adjournments in hearings dealt with by the IAA since January 2001; and how many adjournments have been granted under each reason.

Rosie Winterton: The reasons for adjournments are wide ranging, therefore, I have listed the top 10 reasons for adjournments since 1 June 2001–31 May 2002.
	In adjudicator hearings these are:
	
		
			 Reason given Number of adjournments granted 
		
		
			 Lack of court time 1,821 
			 For further evidence to be supplied by representative 1,367 
			 Representative need to supply medical report 1,173 
			 Home Office reconsidering their decision 1,140 
			 Other reasons for representatives needing more time 1,060 
			 Document needs to be authenticated or translated 993 
			 Appellant sick 768 
			 Home Office documents missing 671 
			 New Home Office issue raised 630 
			 Representative sick 622 
		
	
	In tribunal hearings they are:
	
		
			 Reason given Number of adjournments granted 
		
		
			 For further evidence to be supplied by representative 100 
			 Other reasons for representatives needing more time 55 
			 New Home Office issue raised 40 
			 Home Office reconsidering their decision 27 
			 Other reason for representative's non attendance 25 
			 Representative sick 22 
			 Representative need to supply medical report 14 
			 Needs a combined hearing 12 
			 Representatives instructed late 11 
			 Document needs to be authenticated or translated 11 
		
	
	Figures prior to June 2001 are not available.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Leggatt Report

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the Government's response to the Leggatt report on tribunal justice.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are considering its response to the Leggatt review and will announce its conclusions later in the year.
	The Government's response will take into account the public consultation exercise completed in December 2001, which generated over 350 responses.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by his Department on (a) 2 May 1997 and (b) 31 May 2002.

Beverley Hughes: In respect of (a) 2 May 1997, I refer the hon. Member to reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) on 13 June 2002, Official Report, column 1158W.
	In respect of (b) 31 May 2002, while published figures for 1 April 2002 have not yet been centrally compiled, estimates are available from the Home Office Personnel Information Manpower Management System (PIMMS) and the personnel systems of the Home Office Agencies, and I have provided them in the table.
	
		Full-time equivalents 
		
			 Home Office area(202) 1 April 2002 
		
		
			 Home Office main(21) 13,573 
			 Forensic Science Service 2,448 
			 (United Kingdom Passport Agency) 2,807 
			 Her Majesty's Prison Service 43,420 
			  
			 Grand total 64,251 
		
	
	(20)The Fire Service College moved to the Department of the Enviroment in the machinery of Government changes 8 June 2001.
	(21)The number includes 4,511 extra staff recruited since 31 March 2002 to deal with immigration and asylum work within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

Street Crime

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the street crime initiative courts in London; how they are proposed to operate and for what purpose; what role is envisaged for the Witness Service in relation to them; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: There are 19 specially designated street crime courts in London. Of these nine are Crown courts and 10 are magistrates courts.
	The Crown courts are: Blackfriars, Croydon, Harrow, Inner London (designated Youth Crown court for Inner London), Isleworth, Kingston, Middlesex Guildhall, Snaresbrook, and Wood Green.
	The 10 magistrates courts designated as special street crime courts are: Acton, Balham, Brent, Camberwell Green, Croydon, Harringay, Stratford, Thames, Waltham Forrest, and West London
	As well as fast tracking street crime cases the designated courts are designed to ensure that victims and witnesses have separate facilities, such as secure waiting areas, to avoid the risk of intimidation from alleged offenders. The Witness Service, provided by victim support also provides support to witnesses before, during and after they give evidence, to lessen the number of cases failing to proceed.
	The specialist street crime courts are part of a package of measures across the Court Justice Service and other Government departments, designed to tackle street crime by dealing swiftly and effectively with the perpetrators of these offences.

Extradition Laws

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to improve the UK's extradition laws.

Bob Ainsworth: At present it takes too long to extradite someone from the United Kingdom. Not only is this against the interests of justice and the victims of crime but it is the British taxpayer that foots the bill: paying for the fugitive to be detained and often funding their legal battle.
	The previous Home Secretary launched a review of extradition law and the Home Office published proposals for consultation in March last year. Since then the attacks on 11 September have added impetus to European Union (EU) plans for an EU-wide arrest warrant.
	The Government has already announced that we intend to legislate to bring this into effect. This will dramatically speed up the extradition process between EU states, but not at the expense of fugitive's rights.
	It should also make it possible in some circumstances to return people to the United Kingdom who, under the old system, would not have been extradited.
	We also plan to streamline procedures for non-EU countries too.
	I am today publishing a consultation paper containing a draft Extradition Bill which outlines our proposals and invites all of those with an interest to comment.
	An Extradition Bill will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.

Royal Prerogative

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decisions have been made by his Department in the last year under authority from the royal prerogative.

David Blunkett: holding answer 25 June 2002
	Records are not kept of the individual occasions on which powers under the royal prerogative are exercised, nor would it be practicable to do so.

Prisoners (Educational Standards)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the standards of literacy and numeracy among prisoners; and what information he collects on these subjects.

Hilary Benn: The majority of prisoners have serious basic skills needs which must be addressed if we are to help them re-settle effectively into the community on release. In 2001–02 prisoners achieved over 24,000 basic skills qualifications. Almost 16,000 were at level 2—an increase of 30 per cent. over the previous year. The basic skills target for 2002–03 is 28,800 at all levels.
	We collect monthly information on the number of basic skills qualifications gained at establishment level. The Prisoners' Learning and Skills Unit (PLSU), based in the Department for Education and Skills, supports establishments which are falling short of expectations.
	We have ensured that prisons are part of national developments in basic skills, and have been piloting new national curriculum materials and tests in seven prisons. Additional capital resources over this year and next from the Capital Modernisation Fund will help us to deliver improvements in basic skills by supporting initial assessment, the integration of basic and key skills into prison workshops and the transformation of Libraries into learning resource centres.
	From April 2002, education and training in prisons—including basic skills provision—has been inspected against the criteria set out in the Common Inspection Framework, which covers all post-16 learning. With the support of the PLSU, the majority of prisons have established quality improvement groups to secure better planning and delivery of all their learning provision and to respond to the findings of inspection reports. We expect the remaining prisons to do so shortly.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the (a) cost and (b) saving from the pursuit of the Department's Public Service Agreement targets in each year since they were introduced.

Beverley Hughes: The Home Department's Public Service Agreement sets out the key outcomes it is committed to deliver with the resources provided, and its Service Delivery Agreement sets out the key steps towards delivery of those targets. Every year the Department publishes performance against its targets—including on value for money—and the resources it has used, in its departmental report.

Departmental Website

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the procedures for information appearing on his Department's website.

David Blunkett: I apologise for the delay in replying.
	The Home Department's website is not only used to communicate policy, but it is pivotal as a tool for consultation as well. Content is developed in co-operation with policy owners, who are responsible for its currency and accuracy. Information on the site is updated or removed whenever required, ensuring that the contents are as reliable as possible. This immediacy allows our content to reflect the activities of the Department across all its responsibilities in England and Wales for the criminal law, crime reduction, policing, prisons and probation as well as for immigration and asylum policy across the United Kingdom. Other areas of the site reflect the Department's lead on active communities, race equality and family policy.

National Security

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reasons of national security compel the Home Office to retain sections of PRO file PRO/30/60/13/2 dating from 1887 to 1896 closed under section 3.4 of the Public Records Act 1958.

David Blunkett: The Home Office retained those sections of PRO file PRO/30/60/13/2 that were considered sensitive as defined under schedule 3 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. The continuing sensitivity relates to honouring commitments to keep certain matters secret and so retain the confidence of those who do or would co-operate with the authorities on intelligence and security matters as well as protecting the identities of family members and descendants who might in some circumstances be placed at risk. I will continue to keep this under review.

Criminal Records Bureau

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the time taken by the Criminal Records Bureau to process applications from local authorities for information; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: A number of representations have been received directly or indirectly. Measures are being taken to address the initial operating difficulties, which have resulted in delays in responding to applications for disclosure. We are determined that the Criminal Records Bureau will be in a position, as soon as possible, to meet the high standards of service that it has set itself.

Criminal Records Bureau

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to (a) reduce delays in conducting Criminal Records Bureau checks and (b) maintain security of such checks when outsourced to other countries.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 17 June 2002
	The information is as follows.
	(a) The Criminal Records Bureau has introduced a number of measures as part of a performance improvement plan in order to reduce delays in conducting Criminal Record Bureau checks. These measures include:
	Rapid recruitment and training of additional staff.
	Additional resources to deal with the older applications.
	Extensions to working hours to increase output.
	Revised procedures to deal with errors/omissions. These remove such applications from mainstream processes thereby increasing the efficiency of processing both correctly completed applications and the exceptions.
	Significant increase in call centre staffing levels to cope with demand.
	Return of incomplete or incorrectly completed application forms to the registered body for correction.
	The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has also introduced the following short-term contingency measures:
	The CRB will carry out and issue the results of a List 99 check, for all teachers, in advance of a full disclosure check.
	The CRB has introduced a contingency plan to deliver a very limited number of manual criminal record checks.
	Outsourcing most of the backlog of applications to the data entry facility of Hays Plc in Chennai (Madras, India).
	Letters have been issued to Lead Countersignatories about the situation.
	(b) The concept of processing data overseas is not a new one and has been carried out successfully for a number of years. The security of criminal records checking should in no way be jeopardised by the outsourcing of the data capture process. The company carrying out the work in this case, Hays Plc has undertaken work for other public bodies.
	A number of proposed sites were researched, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. The site in Chennai was chosen for many reasons, including:
	Hays have extensive experience in this sector and have been employing staff in this line of work for over 12 years.
	Hays staff are already engaged in processing data for several overseas clients whose data are not dissimilar to that of the CRB.
	A comprehensive security audit has been carried out on the staff, premises and processes involved.
	Hays Plc in India offer the greatest capacity and flexibility to meet the CRB's needs.

Ministerial Visits

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) date, (b) location and (c) purpose was of visits by Ministers in his Department to Wales since 1997; and when he next intends to visit Wales.

David Blunkett: holding answer 17 June 2002
	Information in respect of United Kingdom travel is not held centrally and a full answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I have visited Wales (North and South) on official business three times this year already including a keynote address at the Justices' Clerks Society Annual Conference in Cardiff. I plan to visit South Wales later this year to speak at a Crime and Drug Related conference.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries.

Community Policing

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral answer of 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 589, what steps he has taken to familiarise himself with the situation in Nottingham; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: Day to day arrangements for the policing of Nottingham is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire (Stephen Green QPM) has told me of the proposed changes to the policing of the Nottingham (C) Division planned by the Divisional Commander (Chief Superintendent Johnson). I understand that the changes to beat policing have yet to be finalised and implemented, but they do have the support of the Chief Constable and Nottingham city council.
	Nottinghamshire force was reorganised on 1 April this year with a view to improving policing in the county. This resulted in a change in the structure of Nottingham Division. In addition, Chief Superintendent Johnson (the new Divisional Commander) decided that he needed to increase the number of beat managers in Nottingham. The proposed changes are designed to deliver this.
	I am told the Divisional Commander also plans to address the different policing needs of Nottingham and recognise the heavy work load that Nottingham beat managers have through the changes he wishes to make.
	Increasing the number of beat managers will not reduce officers out on the streets as beat managers also patrol their beat. It is intended that there should be teams of two to three shift working beat managers assigned to a beat over seven days. This should give better coverage than the present arrangements under which beat managers work Monday to Friday; give officers improved ownership of the beat, and more responsibility in policing the area. This should help the team to build better relationships with local communities.
	The Government are committed to increasing the resources available to the police service. You may like to know therefore that in addition to a good police funding settlement in Spending Review 2000, we have, through the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF), allocated 157 CFF recruits to Nottinghamshire Constabulary over the three years to March 2003. On 31 January 2002 the force had 2,313 police officers which is 38 more than it had on 31 March 2001.

Prisons

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions fire services have attended each category B prison in the last 12 months for which information is available.

Hilary Benn: In the period June 2001 to May 2002, there were a total of 58 occasions on which the fire services attended category B prisons. These have been broken down by prison as follows:
	
		
			 Prison Number of times visited 
		
		
			 Albany 0 
			 Blundeston 3 
			 Dovegate 0 
			 Garth 7 
			 Grendon 1 
			 Gartree 1 
			 Lowdham Grange 0 
			 Maidstone 3 
			 Parkhurst 8 
			 Kingston 0 
			 Rye Hill 2 
			 Swaleside 33

Non-UK Minors

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls aged (a) under 16 and (b) aged 16 and 17 years were arrested for prostitution in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001; how many of these were not UK nationals; and what nationalities were those who were not UK nationals.

Hilary Benn: The information is not collected centrally.

National Probation Service

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding he has made available to the National Probation Service for 2002–03; what criteria the NPS has used to fund the 42 probation areas; and what the areas' budgets are for (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Hilary Benn: The provisional funding for the National Probation Service for 2002–03 is £666.7 million. This is used to meet
	(a) central costs of the National Directorate (including Estates and Information Technology costs for the local areas)
	(b) the cost of training Probation Officers
	(c) the operating costs of local boards, allocated to local boards and
	(d) the cost of Hostels, which is also allocated to local boards.
	The target funding to the 42 probation areas for operational costs (c above) is calculated, (a) 85 per cent. on the basis of a formula which assesses relative need, and (b) 15 per cent. on the basis of workload. Since some local boards were historically funded significantly above the implied formula funding level, a minimum increase of 3 per cent. has been applied as a transitional measure.
	The areas' budgets for operating costs (excluding short-term adjustments and before transfer of £20 million for Drug Testing and Treatment Orders to Department of Health) for 2001–02 and 2002–03 total £515 million and £537 million (provisional) respectively and are shown in the following table. Budgets for Hostels are £39.7 million and £40.6 million for 2001–02 and 2002–03 respectively.
	
		Probation boards' allocations before transfers
		
			  A B C D 
			   Base position from 2001–02  Increase Initial allocation 2002–03  
			   (£ million) (£ million) (£ million) Percentage increase 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 12.893 0.387 13.280 3.0 
			 Bedfordshire 4.917 0.148 5.065 3.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 5.309 0.224 5.533 4.2 
			 Cheshire 8.826 0.431 9.257 4.9 
			 Cumbria 4.932 0.148 5.080 3.0 
			 Derbyshire 8.234 0.321 8.555 3.9 
			 Devon and Cornwall 12.516 0.375 12.891 3.0 
			 Dorset 5.237 0.157 5.394 3.0 
			 Durham 6.092 0.899 6.991 14.8 
			 Essex 12.513 0.375 12.888 3.0 
			 Gloucestershire 4.650 0.140 4.790 3.0 
			 Hampshire 14.029 0.872 14.901 6.2 
			 Hertfordshire 6.994 0.210 7.204 3.0 
			 Humberside 8.976 0.869 9.845 9.7 
			 Kent 13.802 0.414 14.216 3.0 
			 Lancashire 14.831 0.445 15.276 3.0 
			 Leicestershire 8.241 0.341 8.582 4.1 
			 Lincolnshire 5.390 0.184 5.574 3.4 
			 Norfolk 6.347 0.330 6.677 5.2 
			 Northamptonshire 4.856 0.471 5.327 9.7 
			 North Yorkshire 5.590 0.527 6.117 9.4 
			 Nottinghamshire 10.801 0.474 11.275 4.4 
			 Staffordshire 8.809 0.350 9.159 4.0 
			 Suffolk 5.085 0.153 5.238 3.0 
			 Surrey 6.692 0.201 6.893 3.0 
			 Sussex 10.485 0.315 10.800 3.0 
			 Teeside 7.618 0.325 7.943 4.3 
			 Thames Valley 16.000 0.480 16.480 3.0 
			 Warwickshire 4.031 0.121 4.152 3.0 
			 West Mercia 8.865 0.346 9.211 3.9 
			 Wiltshire 4.747 0.187 4.934 3.9 
			 Greater Manchester 30.685 0.921 31.606 3.0 
			 Merseyside 18.508 0.555 19.063 3.0 
			 Northumbria 16.838 0.572 17.410 3.4 
			 South Yorkshire 14.990 0.661 15.651 4.4 
			 West Midlands 31.149 1.360 32.509 4.4 
			 West Yorkshire 23.916 0.928 24.844 3.9 
			 Greater London 90.072 2.702 92.774 3.0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 4.491 0.478 4.969 10.6 
			 Gwent 5.613 1.208 6.821 21.5 
			 North Wales 5.970 0.908 6.878 15.2 
			 South Wales 14.486 0.461 14.947 3.2 
			 Total 515.026 16.603 537.000 4.3

HEALTH

Health Screening

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on developing health screening for all people over the age of 60 years.

Jacqui Smith: General practitioners (GPs) are required, under their existing terms of service, to offer an annual health check to their patients who are over 75. The Department will consider with the GP professional bodies the best way of assessing the health of older people proactively in primary care, in the light of the single assessment process that is to be implemented shortly.

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency admissions there were at the Royal Shrewsbury hospital in each year since March 1997.

Hazel Blears: The data requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			   1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 First attendances 35,705 36,730 36,224 37,526 37,111 
			 Follow up attendances 3,950 4,810 5,094 4,447 4,624 
			 Total Accident and Emergency attendances 39,655 41,540 41,318 41,973 41,735 
		
	
	Source:
	KH09—Outpatient and Ward Attenders

West Park Development, Epsom

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will withdraw the plan to construct a new roundabout on Christchurch Road in Epsom as part of the proposed West Park development.

Hazel Blears: The proposed roundabout is intended to provide access to the West Park site in conjunction with the existing access from Horton Lane.
	Two vehicular access points into the site represents good practice in terms of road design and safety, urban design, public transport, emergency access and egress as well as an advantageous traffic management plan to both the retained health care uses and the proposed new development.

Homeless People

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) rough sleepers and (b) people living in temporary accommodation are registered with a general practitioner.

Hazel Blears: This information is not collected centrally. However, the Government are committed to ensure that all children in temporary accommodation receive regular health checks from health professionals, and to increase access to general practitioners and health care for all homeless people. The absence of a permanent address should not be a bar to registering with a general practitioner.

Vaccines

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each of the last five years have received the pneumococcal vaccine.

Hazel Blears: The number of people who have received pneumococcal vaccine can be estimated by the number of prescription items dispensed in the community for pneumococcal vaccine. The amount of pneumococcal vaccine dispensed in England for the last five years is given in the table.
	
		Number of prescription items dispensed in the community for pneumococcal vaccine, 1997 to 2001 -- England
		
			  Prescription items (thousands) Net ingredient cost (£000) Number of vaccines (thousands) 
		
		
			 1997 646.0 6,422.6 646.2 
			 1998 445.4 4,428.5 445.7 
			 1999 550.5 5,415.0 551.8 
			 2000 539.1 5,244.3 540.3 
			 2001 468.1 4,682.9 468.4

Radio Systems (Emergency Services)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the interoperability of the new ambulance radio system with those of other emergency services; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: It is our intention to undertake a national procurement exercise for a new national digital radio network for ambulance services starting in July 2002. Increased interoperability and resilience has been built into the user requirement specification for the new network based on the expert advice of the professional heads of the ambulance, police and fire services.

Cancer Treatment

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the Government's National Cancer Director to discuss cancer treatment in the NHS; and how often such meetings take place.

Hazel Blears: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met Professor Mike Richards, National Cancer Director on 18 June. They also usually meet informally at least once a month to discuss cancer services. Other Ministers also regularly meet Professor Richards.

Mental Health

Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to create the world class mental health service envisaged in the Wanless report; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement outlined substantial additional resources to ensure a modern health service. There is no doubt that increase in national health service expenditure over the next decade will see substantial increases in spending on mental health. The Department is studying the Wanless report with great interest and it will be an important source of analysis and information in the allocation of resources to the service.

Mental Health

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many of the new graduate primary care mental health worker posts have been (a) created and (b) filled in (i) England and (ii) North Yorkshire;
	(2)  how many of the new primary care trusts have employed graduate primary care mental health workers to assist GPs (a) in England and (b) North Yorkshire;
	(3)  how many of the new primary care trusts have employed gateway workers to provide a round-the-clock co-ordinating service to specialised care in (a) England and (b) North Yorkshire;
	(4)  how many of the mental health gateway worker posts have so far been (a) created and (b) filled in (i) England and (ii) North Yorkshire.

Jacqui Smith: The new graduate primary care mental health workers and mental health gateway workers announced in the NHS Plan will be employed to help general practitioners manage and treat common mental health problems in the financial year 2003–04. Further information to support their recruitment, and to monitor their establishment, will be available in due course. A special session on new primary care workers and 'Gateway' workers was held at 23 November 2001 conference 'Fast-forwarding Primary Care Mental Health' (www.doh.gov/fastforward).
	Pilot projects for new graduate primary care workers have recently started in Northumbria and Birmingham. A mental health primary care team, established in Scarborough in 1998, with the aim of strengthening primary care mental health provision, also achieved NHS Beacon status in April 1999. The service provides one model of how gateway staff might work in other parts in the country.
	This year, £2.5 million has been made available to establish new training programmes to support new primary care workers when they are employed. This initiative is being led by South Trent Work Force Development Confederation.

Mental Health

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent of under-investment in core mental health services (i) in London and (ii) nationally over the past 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Health authorities and now primary care trusts as commissioners of local services are required to spend money based on their assessment of need.
	The Department has recently received the details of a mental health finance mapping exercise that was completed by mental health national service framework local implementation teams at the end of October 2001.
	The NHS Plan announced substantial additional investment in mental health services. In 2002–03 an additional £93.5 million revenue and £70 million capital, and in 2003–04 an additional £312 million revenue and £17 million capital will be made available.
	The finance mapping exercise will provide an opportunity to track this investment through to local service provision.

Myeloma

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most common form of treatment is for myeloma patients.

Hazel Blears: Chemotherapy, usually combined with steroids, is the main treatment for myeloma.

UK Biobank

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of company access to anonymised genetic and lifestyle data from UK Biobank.

Hazel Blears: Details of how companies may gain access to anonymised genetic and lifestyle data held by the UK Biobank have not yet been finalised. A monitoring body, independent of the UK Biobank funders, will be established to protect the interests of Biobank participants and the general public. This monitoring body will be responsible for finalising, and overseeing the implementation of, policies on access to anonymised samples and data by all users, whether in the commercial or academic sectors, taking into account the results of consultations with the public and other stakeholders. An open meeting with industry representatives is being planned for later this year to discuss possible access arrangements. All projects, whether funded from the public or private sector, will need to have ethical approval and will be reviewed by the scientific management committee.

Chiropody and Podiatry Services

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Warrington, North of 24 May, Official Report, column 691W, what the terms of reference were of the review of chiropody services, "Feet First II"; and if he will list the members of the task force assembled during the research of the review of chiropody services, "Feet First II".

Jacqui Smith: The following aims were agreed for the review of "Feet First":
	To review whether the recommendations made in "Feet First" were still relevant or needed updating in the light of national health service developments in the late 1990s; and
	To examine levels of service currently being provided and the role of podiatry in the prevention of social exclusion by considering:
	evidence of reductions in service;
	shortcomings not related to funding; and
	outcome measures that are likely, within available resources, to be feasible and acceptable to the NHS.
	The following were members of the working party for the review of "Feet First":
	Chairman
	Dr. A. Muir Gray, Director of the Institute of Health Sciences, Oxford University
	Members
	Avril Imison, Head of Policy—Therapy Services NHS Executive
	Marie Lancett, Chiropody Adviser—NHS Executive
	Paul Riley, Policy Manager NHS Executive
	Christine Farrell, NHS Executive
	Anne Stephens, Head of Podiatry Services—Camden and Islington CHS NHS Trust
	John Rom, Chief Executive—Northampton Community Healthcare NHS Trust
	Pamela Sabine, Chairman—Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Thameside Community Health NHS Trust
	Peter Graham, Chiropody Services Manager—Merton and Sutton Community NHS Trust
	Jackie Haynes, Chief Executive—Buckinghamshire Health Authority.

Weight Management

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make the database of weight management services developed by the Department available at local practitioner level.

Hazel Blears: The database of weight management services was completed in 1997 and made available at each national health service regional office for local dissemination on request. There are no plans to make it available at local practitioner level.

Sexual Health and HIV

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the action plan outlining implementation of the sexual health and HIV strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The sexual health and HIV strategy implementation action plan was published on the Department's website on 24 June. This sets out in detail how we will work both through the national health service and in partnership with other Government Departments and the voluntary sector to modernise services and tackle sexual ill-health and inequalities.

Tuberculosis

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department gives for screening for TB in England.

Hazel Blears: The Department has published recommendations in two documents. One in June 1996, "Recommendations for the prevention and control of tuberculosis at local level" and again in September 1998 in the document entitled "UK guidance on the prevention and control of transmission of HIV-related tuberculosis and drug-resistant, including multiple drug-resistant, tuberculosis".

Macular Degeneration

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the use of photodynamic therapy for macular disease; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Since January 2002, the Department has received eight letters from members of the public, 88 letters from Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents, and 16 parliamentary questions about the availability of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence are currently carrying out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy. NICE published their final appraisal determination on the use of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration on 12 June. The appraisal process has not yet been completed and NICE have not made any recommendations on photodynamic therapy. NICE are seeking the views of consultees during the appeal process and will consider carefully any points that are made. NICE's recommendations may change as a result of the appeal process. The earliest guidance could be available is at the end of July or early August.

Macular Degeneration

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people in the UK suffer from age-related macular degeneration; what assessment he has made of the treatment available to them; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the prescribing of photodynamic therapy for sufferers of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 17 June 2002
	A study sponsored by the macular disease society in 2001 estimated that there were 182,000 people with age related macular degeneration with a best eye visual acuity below that judged appropriate for certification as blind or partially sighted. Around 10 to 15 per cent. of those will have the 'wet' type of the condition, for which photodynamic therapy is intended as a treatment. However it is not possible to say in how many cases the treatment would be effective.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are currently carrying out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy. NICE published their final appraisal determination on the use of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for age related macular degeneration on 12 June. The appraisal process has not yet been completed and NICE have not made any recommendations on photodynamic therapy. NICE are seeking the views of consultees during the appeal process and will consider carefully any points that are made. NICE's recommendations may change as a result of the appeal process. The earliest guidance could be available at the end of July or early August.
	In August 1999 the Department issued Health Service Circular 1999/176 which asks the NHS bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the technology first became available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of all the available evidence.

Departmental Grants

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations which were in receipt of a grant from him in 1997–98 no longer are; what the annual saving is; which organisations which were not in receipt of a grant in 1997–98 now are; and what the annual cost of each is.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury on 17 June 2002, Official Report, column 137W.

Winter Vomiting Disease

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional support the NHS is providing to Whipps Cross University Hospital Trust to deal with the outbreak of winter vomiting disease (SRSV) and its aftermath; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Following a meeting at the North East London health authority (HA) on the 27 May about the outbreak of winter vomiting disease at Whipps Cross University Hospital national health service trust, all trusts in the local health economy made available any spare capacity they had should it have been necessary. Although unused, the Homerton and Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS trusts offered help as did Barts and the London and Newham trusts, both of which took patients from Whipps Cross. As such the local health economy was able to minimise the disruption of services for patients.
	The public health team from the local primary care trusts (PCTs) has attended daily incident management team meetings, to control the outbreak. Rapid communication channels are in place between general practitioners and other healthcare professionals in the PCTs.
	The public health team at the PCTs also liaised with the communicable disease surveillance centre and the regional epidemiologist to advise the incident team on outbreak management based on lessons learnt elsewhere across the country.
	The directorates of health and social care London region, communicable diseases surveillance centre and the North East London health authority are working extremely closely together to monitor and contain the spread of this virus. No patients and staff at the trust are seriously ill and all are expecting to make a full recovery.

Pain Control

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) guidelines he has issued to health professionals relating to and (b) arrangements are in place for effective pain control for people sent home from hospital in their dying weeks; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Health Service Circular 1998/115 (June 1998) enclosed copies of guidance produced by the national council for hospice and specialist palliative care services including 'Guidelines for Managing Cancer Pain in Adults' and 'Changing Gear—Guidelines for Managing the Last Days of Life in Adults'. The circular and booklets were sent to national health service trust chief executives, nurse executive directors and medical directors. A supportive and palliative care strategy is being developed under the NHS Cancer Plan to ensure best treatment and care from when cancer is first suspected and throughout the illness through to death and bereavement.

E-Medicine

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to develop an infrastructure for secure electronic health data communications.

Hazel Blears: The NHS Plan set the context for the major modernisation of the national health service in England. It clearly sets out a vision of a health service designed around the patient, and which enables integrated care to be delivered by a range of organisations. The commitments of the NHS Plan to new ways of working can only be achieved through the well-planned implementation of an information technology (IT) and systems infrastructure.
	In line with the NHS Plan, and in response to feedback from the NHS and the supplier community, we are introducing a far more robust approach to standardisation. An infrastructure based on universal internet technology, government-wide standards and those developed specifically to meet the needs of the NHS will give all staff the means to access the right information in the right places at the right time.
	Subject to approval of funding and spending plans from April 2002 to April 2003 we will work on developing the NHS' IT management structure, capacity and capability. We will also define the data, and data interchange standards we will require in the future. We will build the essential system specifications to deliver the national health record service. We will also develop the infrastructure, including broadband capacity, needed to lay the basis for key applications.
	Subject to approval of funding and spending plans, between April 2003 and April 2005 we plan to put in place
	Broadband access (more than 128kbs) to every clinician and support staff in the NHS
	increased bandwidth to minimum—2Mbps between trusts and across NHS Net Gateways
	Access and authentication available for all NHS staff
	National NHS directory service
	Domain to domain encryption.
	Subject to approval of business cases, formal open procurement exercises are planned for NHS networking services (to replace the existing framework contracts that expire in 2003–04), and for NHS public key infrastructure services.

North Cumbria Health Action Zone

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid by the North Cumbria Health Action Zone to the Countryside Alliance in the last two years.

Jacqui Smith: Over the past two years, £100,000 has been allocated to the Countryside Alliance by the North Cumbria Health Action Zone in respect of the food development project.

North Cumbria Health Action Zone

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the Chair is of the board of the North Cumbria Health Action Zone; and if he will list its membership.

Jacqui Smith: The chair of the North Cumbria Partnership for Health Board is Mr. Patrick Everingham.
	The complete membership of the board is listed.
	
		
			 Name  
		
		
			 Mrs. Ruth Popple Chair, Carlisle and District Primary Care Trust 
			 Mr. Graham Ogden Chief Executive, Carlisle and District Primary Care Trust 
			 Mr. Allan Buckley Vice Chair, Eden Valley Primary Care Trust 
			 Mr. Peter Kohn Chief Executive, Eden Valley Primary Care Trust 
			 Mr. Doug Scott Director of Planning, Eden Valley Primary Care Trust 
			 Mr. Patrick Everingham (chair) Chair, West Cumbria Primary Care Trust 
			 Ms Veronica Marsden Chief Executive, West Cumbria Primary Care Trust 
			 Cllr Barbara Cannon Chair, North Cumbria Acute Hospitals Trust 
			 Mr. Nick Wood Chief Executive, North Cumbria Acute Hospitals Trust 
			 Mr. Eric Urquhart Chair, North Cumbria Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Trust 
			 Mr. Brian Clayton Chair, Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust 
			 Mr. Alan Donkersley Chief Executive, Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust 
			 Mr. John Cain Environmental Health Officer, Allerdale Borough Council 
			 Cllr C. McCarron-Holmes Executive Member, Allerdale Borough Council 
			 Cllr Ray Bloxham (Vice Chair) Portfolio Holder Health, Carlisle City Council 
			 Mr. Laurie Brewis Head of Housing Provision, Carlisle City Council 
			 Mr. John Stanforth General Manager, Copeland Borough Council 
			 Cllr Brian Dixon Executive Member, Copeland Borough Council 
			 Mr. Louis Victory Chief Executive, Cumbria County Council 
			 Cllr John Mallinson Executive Member, Cumbria County Council 
			 Mr. Mike Siegal Director of Social Services, Cumbria County Council 
			 Mr. Ruth Atkinson Policy and Strategy Manager, Eden District Council 
			 Cllr Bryan Metz Executive Member, Eden District Council 
			 Mrs. Jessica Riddle Chair, Carlisle Council for Voluntary Service 
			 Mrs. Pat Black Chair, Eden Council for Voluntary Service 
			 Mrs. Kay Pitchford Chair, West Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service 
			 Mrs. Elaine Steven Chair, East Cumbria Community Health Council 
			 Mrs. Jennifer Drouet Chair, West Cumbria Community Health Council 
			 Mr. Tony Potter North Cumbria Health Action Zone 
		
	
	Note:
	A nomination for a director of public health for the North Cumbria Primary Care Trusts has not yet been confirmed.

North Cumbria Health Action Zone

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is the landlord of the North Cumbria Health Action Zone headquarters; and what the annual rental cost is.

Jacqui Smith: The landlord for the North Cumbria Health Action Zone headquarters is the North West Development Agency. The annual rent for 2001–02 was £16,217.52.

Primary Care Trusts (Berkshire)

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the salary of the chair and the chief executive and the total spending and capitation fee of each of the Berkshire primary care trusts; and if he will list the distance from target of the annual spend in each primary care trust area in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table for the years 2001–02 and 2002–03. The primary care trusts were not in existence in 2000–01.
	
		
			  Chair's salary Chief executive's salary Total spend Final approved expenditure limit Capitation position Distance from target(22) 
		
		
			 2001–02   
			 Bracknell Forest PCT(23) — — — — — — 
			 Newbury and Community PCT 12,970 69,305 63,414 63,433 64,710 (2.0) 
			 Reading PCT 12,589 75,000 149,398 149,565 153,334 (2.5) 
			 Slough PCT 12,967 71,792 90,337 91,094 93,066 (2.2) 
			 Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead PCT(23) — — — — — — 
			 Wokingham PCT 12,967 65,300 84,862 85,585 83,891 2.0 
			 Total 51,493 281,397 388,011 389,677 395,001 — 
			
			 2002–03(24)   
			 Bracknell Forest PCT 16,017 65,000 — — 66,752 5.6 
			 Newbury and Community PCT 16,017 77,700 — — 69,508 (1.5) 
			 Reading PCT 18,154 75,000 — — 152,261 (2.4) 
			 Slough PCT 16,017 74,377 — — 93,394 (2.9) 
			 Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead PCT 18,154 80,000 — — 118,277 1.6 
			 Wokingham PCT 18,184 67,500 — — 90,012 2.0 
			 Total 102,543 439,577 — — 590,204 — 
		
	
	(22) Figures in brackets equal under target.
	(23) Bracknell Forest and Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead PCTs came into existence on 1 April 2002 (all other PCTs on 1 April 2001).
	(24) Final approved expenditure limit for 2002–03 is not currently available.

Digital Hearing Aids

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the availability of digital hearing aids in the NHS.

Jacqui Smith: We are committed to extending the benefits of digital hearing aids, provided as part of a modernised service. We have invested over £30 million in the modernising hearing aids services project over the past three years. This will bring the number of sites providing a modernised service to 50 by the end of this financial year, with at least 15 more sites having the equipment and training to enable them to start fitting digital aids from April 2003.
	Audiology departments were informed, on 11 June 2002, that James Strachan, chief executive at Royal National Institute for the Deaf and the national health service purchasing and supply agency (PASA), working with the Department, have now negotiated an excellent deal on the price of digital hearing aids. All NHS audiology departments are free to purchase from these contracts, whether they are currently part of the project or not, provided they have the necessary infrastructure in place and relevant experience of fitting digital hearing aids.

Medication (HIV Patients)

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued on the availability of tuberculosis medication for HIV patients; and if there are any circumstances in which an HIV patient would be expected to pay for tuberculosis medication.

Hazel Blears: Guidance on the treatment of patients with HIV-related tuberculosis was published in the report "The Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in the United Kingdom: UK Guidance on the Prevention and Control of Transmission of 1. HIV-related Tuberculosis 2. Drug-resistant, Including Multiple Drug-resistant, Tuberculosis", by the interdepartmental working group on tuberculosis.
	If the medication is supplied to a patient and administered at a hospital it is free of charge. If the medication is supplied otherwise than for administration at a hospital normal prescription charging arrangements apply. No charge will be payable if the patient qualifies for free prescriptions on any grounds, such as low income.

NHS Dentistry (Yeovil)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken to improve access to NHS dentistry in Yeovil constituency; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Arrangements are now in place to ensure that everyone who requires national health service dentistry will be directed to available services simply by phoning NHS Direct. Over the last 18 months we allocated over £210,000 to extend and improve existing NHS dental facilities in Somerset. In February 2001 the capacity of these services was further increased when a dental access centre was opened in Yeovil.
	We are aware of the need for further improvements and during 2001 the chief dental officer led a working group to look at options for change to modernise NHS dentistry. This group has completed its deliberations. The proposals in 'Options for Change' need practical testing and demonstration sites will be set up, working with the NHS Modernisation Agency. We will begin the process of identifying the demonstration sites over the coming months.

MS Patients

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the necessary structures and systems will be operating in Essex, to assess MS patients' eligibility for disease modifying therapies for MS.

Hazel Blears: The five acute trusts in Essex have assessed the arrangements necessary to implement the scheme to assess multiple sclerosis (MS) patients' eligibility for disease modifying therapies for MS.
	All trusts highlighted a need for additional specialist nurse support. Applications have been made to the MS Society for access to their specialist nurse fast-track scheme and these applications are currently being processed. Once approved, recruitment will commence as soon as possible. Identification of potentially eligible new patients has taken place and this information has been passed to primary care trusts.
	Once the infrastructure is in place within the centres, these patients will be reviewed and if they meet the required Association of British Neurologists criteria, will commence treatment.

Care Homes and Nursing Homes

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cases each responsible local authority would be expected to deal with under the formula for transferring funding for residents of care homes and nursing homes on preserved rights from the Department of Work and Pensions to local authorities;
	(2)  what unit of funding was used in arriving at the formula for the transferred responsibility for residents of care homes and nursing homes with preserved rights to local authorities.
	(3)  what attempts were made to assess the capacity of the private sector to meet the assessed care needs of individual residents in care homes and nursing homes with reserved rights before arriving at the funding formula for transfer of undertaking to local authorities.

Jacqui Smith: The national budget for the preserved rights grant was determined principally on the basis of the expected number in mid 2002–03 of residents formerly entitled to preserved rights. The allocation for individual local authorities was calculated in proportion to the distribution of residents with preserved rights as at December 2000. The caseloads of people under 65 and over 65 were considered separately. The data for December 2000 were provided by the Department for Work and Pensions. These data were adjusted by information provided by councils on the numbers of preserved rights residents supported outside their area. These adjusted data are available on the Department of Health's website at http:/www.doh.gov.uk/scg/incom-sup.htm.
	Until March this year, responsibility for the regulation and inspection of independent sector residential care homes and nursing homes lay respectively with local councils and the national health service. Part of this function included checking that homes were able to meet the needs of their residents. On 1 April 2002, this responsibility passed to the National Care Standards Commission, for care homes in England. Until the abolition of preserved rights to higher levels of income support there was no requirement on councils to assess the care needs of residents with preserved rights unless the council was topping up their care home fees.

Children in Care

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the number of children in the care of London boroughs in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001 were from (i) black and (ii) ethnic minority backgrounds.

Jacqui Smith: The available information for children looked after in London boroughs at 31 March 2001 is shown in the table. Information for earlier years is not available, as 2001 was the first year information was collected on the ethnic origin of children looked after by local councils in England.
	
		Children looked after in London boroughs, by ethnic origin, as at 31 March 2001 -- Percentage
		
			   Ethnic origin  
			 London boroughs All children White Mixed origin Black or Black British Other ethnic groups 
		
		
			 London 100 52 10 25 12 
			   
			 Inner London  
			 Camden 100 50 18 25 8 
			 Greenwich 100 66 7 15 12 
			 Hackney 100 (25)— (25)— (25)— (25)— 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 100 39 4 37 21 
			 Islington 100 39 21 22 18 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 100 31 30 32 7 
			 Lambeth 100 37 10 47 7 
			 Lewisham 100 46 5 35 14 
			 Southwark 100 50 13 32 5 
			 Tower Hamlets 100 45 16 15 24 
			 Wandsworth 100 49 4 40 6 
			 Westminster 100 44 19 27 11 
			   
			 Outer London  
			 Barking and Dagenham 100 73 6 5 16 
			 Barnet 100 69 12 14 5 
			 Bexley 100 87 — 8 — 
			 Brent 100 34 13 46 6 
			 Bromley 100 81 10 — — 
			 Croydon 100 71 11 14 4 
			 Ealing 100 50 18 19 13 
			 Enfield 100 63 — — 19 
			 Haringey 100 38 15 43 3 
			 Harrow 100 55 10 16 19 
			 Havering 100 79 — — 13 
			 Hillingdon 100 50 8 27 14 
			 Hounslow 100 68 15 11 6 
			 Kingston upon Thames 100 84 — 10 — 
			 Merton 100 75 — 20 — 
			 Newham 100 36 4 32 27 
			 Redbridge 100 71 12 14 — 
			 Richmond upon Thames 100 77 — — 13 
			 Sutton 100 84 — 9 — 
			 Waltham Forest 100 49 20 29 2 
		
	
	(25) Indicates not available.
	Notes:
	1. Figures for children looked after in this table exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.
	2. Small percentages, particularly where the number is less than five, together with all data for the City of London, have been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality. All suppressed data in the table are indicated by the symbol "—".

Children in Care

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were in the care of (a) London boroughs and (b) local authorities in England and Wales in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested for London and local councils in England is shown in the table. Information on the number of children looked after by local councils in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.
	
		Children looked after at 31 March 1999 to 2001, England and -- LondonNumber
		
			  1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 England 55,500 58,100 58,900 
			 London 9,590 10,400 10,970 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for children looked after in this table exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.
	2. Figures for London have been rounded to the nearest 100. All figures include estimates for missing data.

Children in Care

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of children between the ages of 16 and 18 years living (a) in a residential care home and (b) with foster parents were not in education, employment or training for the last five years for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 June 2002
	The information requested is not collected centrally. A new departmental statistical return (OC3) will collect data from social services departments in England concerning the educational or employment status of care leavers on their 19th birthday. The return requires councils to report whether each care leaver, who was looked after on 1 April in their 17th year, is in education, training, employment, or is sick or unemployed. This data will be published for the first time in autumn 2002.

Occupational Health (NHS Staff)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of occupational health provision for NHS staff.

David Lammy: Data collected by the Department in 1999 show that all national health service staff in the hospital sector have access to occupational health services. In 60 per cent. of NHS trusts these services are provided in house, while the other 40 per cent. buy in services from neighbouring NHS organisations. The NHS Plan announced a further £21 million of funding for the extension of occupational health services to general practitioners and their staff.
	In order to address this the Department has issued service delivery standards for occupational health as part of the improving working lives standard. The effective management of occupational health and safety services in the NHS was issued in November 2001, and is available in the Library. The Department is currently working with occupational health providers on further standards related to pre-appointment checks.
	More than half of NHS occupational health units that also provide services to small and medium sized enterprises through NHS Plus. In these trusts the chief executive has signed a declaration that services to staff are already of an adequate standard and will not be affected by implementing NHS Plus. A percentage of income generated through NHS Plus is reinvested in improving occupational health services to NHS staff.

Colchester Primary Care Trust

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects that the Colchester Primary Care Trust will achieve fair weighted capitation; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: We will announce allocations to primary care trusts for the three years 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 in the autumn. Our aim is to move primary care trusts towards their fair shares determined by the weighted capitation formula as quickly as practicable.

Correspondence

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of Dr. Seward of Milford on Sea of 12 May.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence. The Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit is seeking a copy of this correspondence.

Correspondence

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells, of 2 May requesting a meeting to discuss the MRI scanner facilities at the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 25 May 2002
	A reply was sent on 25 June 2002.

Respite Care

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many respite care places were available in each year since 1997 (a) in Wiltshire and (b) in England.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the number of respite care places is not available centrally.

Delayed Discharges

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there are in the Portsmouth, South constituency that are waiting to leave; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Information on delayed discharges is collected at health authority rather than constituency level. All available information has been placed in the Library. Figures for Quarter 4 of 2001–02 show that the former Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire health authority area had 97 delayed discharges.
	The Government recognise that delayed discharges are a problem across the south-east. Health and local authorities are working together to take action to improve the situation. In October 2001 the Government announced an extra £300 million in the "Cash for Change" initiative to tackle bed blocking in 2001–02 and 2002–03. Last year Hampshire received over £2 million, this year over £5 million.

Delayed Discharges

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England in the last three months.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave her on 26 June 2002, Official Report, column 976W.

Non-executive Directors

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for non-executive directors of PCTs.

David Lammy: The national health service appointments commission is responsible for non-executive appointments to the boards of primary care trusts (PCTs). PCT boards are themselves now responsible, within certain limits, for determining their complement of non-executive members. As a result, the chief executive of the appointments commission wrote to all PCT chairs on 14 June to establish the planned size of their board for 2002 and the number of new non-executives they would like the commission to recruit to fill the vacancies. Responses have been requested by 30 July.

Parkinson's Disease

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what funding the Government are making available to provide specialist nurses to treat Parkinson's disease in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many specialist nurses to treat Parkinson's disease there are in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: We do not hold information centrally on the skills profile of nurses at either a local or national level. We understand from the Parkinson's Disease Society however, that there are currently 134 of these nurses in post.
	Funding is allocated to health authorities so that they can take decisions about the staff and services they need to provide to meet the health needs of their local populations. Funds are not earmarked centrally to support the funding of particular staff groups.

Residential and Nursing Care

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost per person of care for is (a) residential care and (b) nursing care broken down by local authority.

Jacqui Smith: The table shows the average cost per person per week of residential and nursing care for 2000–01 broken down by local authority in England as reported by councils to the Department. Information on unit costs by client group is available on the key indicators graphical system, a copy of which is available in the Library.
	
		Unit cost of residential and nursing care, 2000–01 -- £ per week
		
			  Residential care Nursing care 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham — — 
			 Barnet 587 420 
			 Barnsley 259 232 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 412 350 
			 Bedfordshire — — 
			 Bexley 420 489 
			 Birmingham 418 378 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 291 357 
			 Blackpool 328 366 
			 Bolton 373 352 
			 Bournemouth 336 363 
			 Bracknell Forest 648 491 
			 Bradford — — 
			 Brent — — 
			 Brighton and Hove 482 362 
			 Bristol 413 410 
			 Bromley 438 459 
			 Buckinghamshire 456 462 
			 Bury 317 348 
			 Calderdale 338 333 
			 Cambridgeshire 325 366 
			 Camden 487 497 
			 Cheshire 323 365 
			 City of London 561 566 
			 Cornwall 285 363 
			 Coventry — — 
			 Croydon 410 448 
			 Cumbria 332 393 
			 Darlington 328 348 
			 Derby 326 387 
			 Derbyshire 338 344 
			 Devon 373 445 
			 Doncaster 372 350 
			 Dorset 358 351 
			 Dudley 473 297 
			 Durham 335 342 
			 Ealing 516 509 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 260 430 
			 East Sussex 673 245 
			 Enfield 526 517 
			 Essex — — 
			 Gateshead 404 390 
			 Gloucestershire 403 472 
			 Greenwich 480 415 
			 Hackney 479 391 
			 Halton 349 407 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 560 499 
			 Hampshire 400 408 
			 Haringey — — 
			 Harrow 522 489 
			 Hartlepool 381 378 
			 Havering 475 450 
			 Herefordshire 477 417 
			 Hertfordshire — — 
			 Hillingdon 529 654 
			 Hounslow 581 476 
			 Isle of Wight 292 352 
			 Isles of Scilly — — 
			 Islington 586 468 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 583 565 
			 Kent — — 
			 Kingston upon Hull 341 336 
			 Kingston upon Thames 546 442 
			 Kirklees 337 299 
			 Knowsley 351 373 
			 Lambeth — — 
			 Lancashire 315 379 
			 Leeds 421 391 
			 Leicester 342 332 
			 Leicestershire 329 371 
			 Lewisham 514 405 
			 Lincolnshire 331 247 
			 Liverpool 383 310 
			 Luton 446 373 
			 Manchester 343 372 
			 Medway Towns 376 361 
			 Merton 423 335 
			 Middlesbrough 349 347 
			 Milton Keynes 374 354 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 307 342 
			 Newham 499 416 
			 Norfolk 397 449 
			 North East Lincolnshire 320 230 
			 North Lincolnshire 306 426 
			 North Somerset 318 450 
			 North Tyneside — — 
			 North Yorkshire 340 370 
			 Northamptonshire 393 350 
			 Northumberland 351 351 
			 Nottingham 323 339 
			 Nottinghamshire 314 376 
			 Oldham 325 425 
			 Oxfordshire 499 432 
			 Peterborough 395 419 
			 Plymouth 445 413 
			 Poole 393 392 
			 Portsmouth — — 
			 Reading 560 465 
			 Redbridge 485 462 
			 Redcar and Cleveland — — 
			 Richmond upon Thames 591 463 
			 Rochdale 318 378 
			 Rotherham 339 344 
			 Rutland 363 345 
			 Salford 372 352 
			 Sandwell 386 359 
			 Sefton 395 363 
			 Sheffield 300 377 
			 Shropshire 350 364 
			 Slough 479 467 
			 Solihull 440 355 
			 Somerset — — 
			 South Gloucestershire 385 341 
			 South Tyneside — — 
			 Southampton 322 470 
			 Southend 426 372 
			 Southwark 611 427 
			 St. Helens 408 335 
			 Staffordshire 333 344 
			 Stockport 387 522 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 360 374 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 360 359 
			 Suffolk 398 379 
			 Sunderland 360 375 
			 Surrey 395 366 
			 Sutton 462 443 
			 Swindon 420 396 
			 Tameside 285 368 
			 Telford and Wrekin 309 333 
			 Thurrock 406 424 
			 Torbay 308 390 
			 Tower Hamlets — — 
			 Trafford 360 374 
			 Wakefield 393 383 
			 Walsall 388 374 
			 Waltham Forest 449 433 
			 Wandsworth 492 527 
			 Warrington 426 351 
			 Warwickshire 420 306 
			 West Berkshire 565 397 
			 West Sussex — — 
			 Westminster 706 465 
			 Wigan 333 367 
			 Wiltshire 425 416 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 565 423 
			 Wirral 455 311 
			 Wokingham — — 
			 Wolverhampton 485 361 
			 Worcestershire 373 407 
			 York 351 353 
			 England 389 377

Care Homes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on fee levels for (a) care homes for older people and (b) care homes operating in other sectors of care;
	(2)  what investigations his Department is carrying out into the models of pricing care, with specific reference to reducing levels of paperwork;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the recent report of Laing and Buisson on care home costs.

Jacqui Smith: The Government welcome the contribution made by the Joseph Rowntree report to the discussion about the appropriate level of care home fees. We support any publication that aids councils in setting fair and realistic fee levels. The Government are putting record levels of investment into the system. We increased resources to social services by 20 per cent. in real terms between 1996–97 and 2002–03, this represents a national real terms increase of 3 per cent. per annum. There is evidence that this extra investment is making a difference. In a recent report by Laing and Buisson, the authors of the Joseph Rowntree report, it is stated that councils have raised care home fees by an average of 3 per cent. in the last year.
	The social services performance assessment framework indicators published in October 2001 contain information on local council's unit costs for nursing and residential care for different client groups.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 424W, on care homes, how many of the letters from (a) hon. Members and (b) the public were about increases in care home fees related to the introduction of free nursing care; and if he will list the other subjects which (i) hon. Members and (ii) members of the public wrote concerning the introduction of NHS-funded care;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 424W, on free nursing care, how many letters have been received from hon. Members regarding the failure of care homes to pass on the NHS free nursing care contribution, broken down by party.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 12 June 2002
	Since October last year, the Department has received in excess of 10,000 letters from hon. Members and in excess of 24,000 letters from members of the public. Of the letters received, 232 and 150 from hon. Members and members of the public respectively covered issues relating to free nursing care, including fee levels, the process of assessment, banding levels for registered nursing care contribution, policy justification, the mechanisms of payment and the costs of equipment. The letters from hon. Members are broken down by party as follows:
	Labour: 118
	Conservative: 95
	Liberal Democrats: 19.

Long-term Care Beds

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 17 June 2002, Official Report, column 167W, on long-term care beds, what resources and local priorities will prevent primary care trusts and NHS trusts from providing continence services.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 24 June 2002
	Primary care trusts and national health service trusts provide continence services as part of their general community based services.
	It is for health authorities in partnership with primary care trusts and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
	As a result of the Budget, the NHS in England will receive an annual average real terms growth in resources of 7.4 per cent. for the five years from 2003–04 to 2007–08. This means that over the same five year period there will be an increase of £34 billion in NHS funding for England. This is the highest sustained growth in funding in the history of the NHS.

Long-term Care Beds

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 17 June 2002, Official Report, column 167W, on long-term care beds, if he will set out the factors he considers other than number of beds in his determination of planning expenditure on long-term care.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 24 June 2002
	Chapter 2 and Research Volume 1 of the Report of the Royal Commission on long-term care set out the factors which affect the demand for and cost of long-term care.

Intermediate Care

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the introduction of intermediate care.

Jacqui Smith: Intermediate care has made rapid progress over the last two years—there is very good progress towards the targets set in the NHS Plan and there are many examples of good practice around the country. However, it is still a relatively new service and there is more work to be done to ensure that it becomes firmly established and meets its full potential.
	The Department's recent review of intermediate care—Intermediate Care: Moving Forward—is available on the website and a copy has been placed in the Library. The full results of the Department's survey of intermediate care provision conducted last summer are also in the Library.

Hearing Aids

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when digital hearing aids will be available in West Sussex.

Jacqui Smith: An announcement about which national health service trusts will join the modernising hearing aid services project and will be providing digital hearing aids by the end of March 2003, was made in my reply to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) and the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 465–66W.
	In addition to the second wave sites, we intend to provide at least a further 15 sites with the training and equipment they need to start fitting digital hearing aids from April 2003. I understand that Surrey and Sussex Healthcare has already expressed an interest in being one of those sites.

Neonatal Care

Brian Sedgemore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the report of the National Review of Neonatal Care by Dr. R. MacFaul and others; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The report follows a very important review of provision for neonatal services. The report is under active consideration at present. I expect to determine the next steps in this process shortly.

Chelmsford PCT

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what accumulated deficit has been identified by the Chelmsford PCT from 1 April.

David Lammy: holding answer 14 May 2002
	It is not possible to provide information on liabilities inherited by Chelmsford Primary Care Trust as it was newly established on 1 April 2002. The information will be published in the final accounts at the end of the financial year.

Worthing and Southlands Hospital Trust

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many matrons have been recruited to the Worthing and Southlands Hospital Trust since his Department's announcement on the issue.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 24 May 2002
	Available information was published in a report, "Modern Matrons in the NHS: a progress report", on 15 April 2002, showing that there are 1,895 nurses in modern matron posts across the national health service in England. Data broken down by individual trust are not available centrally.

Fostering

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been placed in foster families broken down by (a) region and (b) health authority in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 17 June 2002
	The data available are shown in the table. The table shows the number of looked-after children who started one or more periods of foster care during the year.
	
		Number of looked after children who started one or more periods of foster care during the years ending 31 March 1997 to 2001 -- EnglandNumber
		
			  Year ending 31 March  
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 England 32,900 33,300 32,400 32,700 29,800 
			   
			 North East 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 1,800 
			 Shire counties  
			 Durham 300 270 300 305 160 
			 Northumberland 210 230 215 220 175 
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Darlington 55 55 85 60 95 
			 Hartlepool 70 75 105 100 120 
			 Middlesbrough 100 120 100 110 140 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 135 115 145 115 115 
			 Stockton on Tees 115 130 130 115 90 
			   
			 Metropolitan districts  
			 Gateshead 110 155 145 90 145 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 265 280 310 335 285 
			 North Tyneside 255 190 175 195 210 
			 South Tyneside 100 95 125 85 (26)— 
			 Sunderland 250 255 180 230 155 
			   
			 North West 3,900 4,000 3,900 3,800 3,300 
			 Shire counties  
			 Cheshire 330 370 405 375 275 
			 Cumbria 270 295 350 325 300 
			 Lancashire 815 800 675 585 605 
			   
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Blackburn and Darwen 150 105 80 95 120 
			 Blackpool 185 190 190 180 205 
			 Halton 115 130 155 160 125 
			 Warrington 110 135 100 90 45 
			   
			 Metropolitan districts  
			 Bolton 160 190 155 190 155 
			 Bury 110 75 90 90 75 
			 Manchester 780 775 775 745 585 
			 Oldham 110 135 165 130 110 
			 Rochdale 105 150 145 125 55 
			 Salford 200 180 160 210 180 
			 Stockport 110 130 115 110 100 
			 Tameside 150 140 120 120 150 
			 Trafford 70 90 85 100 90 
			 Wigan 165 155 170 210 145 
			   
			 Merseyside 900 1,000 1,100 1,100 900 
			 Metropolitan districts  
			 Knowsley 145 125 120 145 190 
			 Liverpool 445 450 530 550 450 
			 Sefton 80 105 105 110 80 
			 St. Helens 65 80 90 70 80 
			 Wirral 205 230 205 175 145 
			   
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 3,700 3,800 3,500 3,400 3,100 
			 Shire counties  
			 North Yorkshire 305 275 210 200 215 
			   
			 Unitary authorities  
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 110 120 110 145 85 
			 Kingston upon Hull 395 420 325 285 270 
			 North East Lincs 170 155 120 140 150 
			 North Lincolnshire 115 100 125 75 50 
			 York 100 80 75 95 105 
			   
			 Metropolitan districts  
			 Barnsley 135 150 150 120 115 
			 Bradford 470 425 405 370 320 
			 Calderdale 120 145 150 95 95 
			 Doncaster 230 165 235 220 175 
			 Kirklees 155 170 140 180 140 
			 Leeds 600 675 625 645 585 
			 Rotherham 185 205 210 170 195 
			 Sheffield 335 430 400 400 440 
			 Wakefield 320 315 265 245 125 
			   
			 East Midlands 2,400 2,700 2,600 2,500 2,400 
			 Shire counties  
			 Derbyshire 315 290 315 385 365 
			 Leicestershire 165 175 240 275 220 
			 Lincolnshire 365 305 290 275 275 
			 Northamptonshire 410 450 415 400 310 
			 Nottinghamshire 330 385 385 410 415 
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Derby 235 205 165 160 155 
			 Leicester 240 410 425 345 405 
			 Nottingham 355 425 385 280 285 
			   
			 West Midlands 3,700 3,900 3,600 3,700 3,200 
			 Shire counties  
			 Shropshire 140 90 90 135 110 
			 Staffordshire 290 260 260 280 255 
			 Warwickshire 330 395 310 330 245 
			 Worcestershire 300 285 320 385 295 
			   
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Herefordshire 130 120 130 75 80 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 105 180 155 165 195 
			 Telford and Wrekin 130 70 90 75 100 
			   
			 Metropolitan districts  
			 Birmingham 930 1,085 865 880 820 
			 Coventry 205 195 165 220 145 
			 Dudley 170 150 195 235 140 
			 Sandwell 335 375 370 295 225 
			 Solihull 165 150 130 130 105 
			 Walsall 235 295 300 305 290 
			 Wolverhampton 240 200 190 175 175 
			   
			 South West 3,800 3,500 3,200 3,300 2,900 
			 Shire counties  
			 Cornwall 590 580 545 485 375 
			 Devon 470 405 410 450 385 
			 Dorset 285 280 200 160 140 
			 Gloucestershire 280 280 290 310 280 
			 Somerset 345 300 285 285 305 
			 Wiltshire 280 285 245 230 165 
			   
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Bath and North East Somerset 85 85 65 100 65 
			 Bournemouth 160 175 145 145 150 
			 Bristol 345 320 275 260 270 
			 North Somerset 150 160 135 135 135 
			 Plymouth 300 185 140 250 225 
			 Poole 100 125 90 125 100 
			 South Gloucestershire 90 70 95 85 85 
			 Swindon 195 155 130 155 160 
			 Torbay 115 120 135 105 90 
			   
			 Eastern 3,400 3,300 3,100 3,400 2,900 
			 Shire counties  
			 Bedfordshire 225 195 180 180 190 
			 Cambridgeshire 325 385 345 285 185 
			 Essex 795 665 670 860 695 
			 Hertfordshire 445 450 425 370 340 
			 Norfolk 480 435 520 490 450 
			 Suffolk 400 415 370 380 360 
			   
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Luton 180 150 180 210 200 
			 Peterborough 215 290 180 285 185 
			 Southend 190 215 175 185 165 
			 Thurrock 110 90 80 150 120 
			   
			 London 5,000 5,100 5,300 5,400 5,300 
			 Inner London  
			 Camden 155 185 230 220 190 
			 Greenwich 135 140 225 275 240 
			 Hackney 285 280 260 220 205 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 135 175 155 200 270 
			 Islington 140 135 160 185 120 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 75 105 95 70 100 
			 Lambeth 295 260 280 245 265 
			 Lewisham 250 300 220 270 205 
			 Southwark 335 345 270 265 260 
			 Tower Hamlets 245 100 120 125 115 
			 Wandsworth 205 195 190 185 240 
			 Westminster 135 145 145 140 140 
			 Outer London  
			 Barking and Dagenham 65 95 115 135 155 
			 Barnet 95 120 170 150 200 
			 Bexley 120 140 165 150 140 
			 Brent 220 220 215 215 245 
			 Bromley 115 155 130 110 70 
			 Croydon 235 135 165 170 175 
			 Ealing 125 130 195 215 215 
			 Enfield 85 100 120 90 125 
			 Haringey 175 165 210 205 255 
			 Harrow 75 95 100 140 95 
			 Havering 85 75 105 125 80 
			 Hillingdon 150 110 140 230 250 
			 Hounslow 155 160 115 150 150 
			 Kingston upon Thames 60 60 65 40 65 
			 Merton 120 145 150 150 85 
			 Newham 255 340 385 320 305 
			 Redbridge 185 190 140 110 70 
			 Richmond upon Thames 80 50 80 80 55 
			 Sutton 95 60 90 85 80 
			 Waltham Forest 155 190 110 155 130 
			   
			 South East 4,200 4,100 4,100 4,200 4,200 
			 Shire counties  
			 Buckinghamshire 135 115 130 165 130 
			 East Sussex 365 250 300 280 300 
			 Hampshire 410 435 460 505 465 
			 Kent 875 995 1,090 1,060 1,105 
			 Oxfordshire 245 180 245 200 225 
			 Surrey 255 210 265 255 280 
			 West Sussex 455 500 370 545 440 
			   
			 Unitary authorities  
			 Bracknell Forest 40 40 30 35 35 
			 Brighton and Hove 355 340 265 220 200 
			 Isle of Wight 140 155 135 155 90 
			 Medway Towns 155 170 165 135 150 
			 Milton Keynes 125 175 150 (26)— (26)— 
			 West Berkshire 70 40 50 55 65 
			 Portsmouth 115 125 105 95 150 
			 Reading 95 75 30 30 45 
			 Slough 65 30 55 55 35 
			 Southampton 180 195 190 235 240 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 50 35 20 35 45 
			 Wokingham 25 30 40 40 45 
		
	
	(26) Not available.
	Notes:
	1. The table excludes children looked after under a series of short term placements.
	2. All local council figures have been rounded to the nearest five.
	3. Data for three local councils, Rutland, City of London and Isles of Scilly, have been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality. All regional and England figures include estimates for missing data and have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Cycle of Abuse

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted to examine the link between abused children and their potential to become abusive adults.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 June 2002
	Between 1992 and 1996, the Department's policy research programme (PRP) funded a study by Professor David Skuse at the Institute of Child Health with the title: "The transition from sexually abused to abuser: a preliminary enquiry", at a total cost of £346,000.
	Subsequently, from 1996 to 2000, the Department provided funding for Professor Skuse to undertake a study entitled "A prospective study of the onset of sexually abusive behaviour in boys who were sexually abused in early childhood: validation of risk index". This study cost £566,000.
	Two further studies of relevance were each funded by one of the Department's regional offices: "A survey of the psychological effects of child abuse and the resulting medical/other agency intervention of general health and personal benefits as adults (pilot study)" by Michelle Robson, from the Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust, which was funded from December 1999 to April 2000, and a study on "Emotional and behavioural problems in children of women who experienced maltreatment in childhood", by Professor J. W. Hill, at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust, funded from February 1999 to June 2000.

Epilepsy

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make more funds available to ring fence funds to prevent sudden deaths in epilepsy.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 June 2002
	Local health and social care organisations are responsible for planning and providing services for people with epilepsy. The recently announced budget settlements for the national health service (representing an annual average increase of 7.6 per cent. above inflation over the five years 2003–04 to 2007–08) and personal social services (PSS) (representing an annual average increase of 6.0 per cent. above inflation over the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06), will provide the investment needed to support services which best meet patients' and users' needs.
	The Department has recently welcomed the publication of the Government funded national sentinel audit of epilepsy-related death. The audit looked at investigations into epilepsy deaths, care provided prior to death and contact with bereaved families. The Department has given a commitment to consider the recommendations of the audit and develop an action plan by September 2002 to try to improve epilepsy services and reduce the number of preventable deaths from epilepsy.
	The Department is also undertaking a range of initiatives to improve services for the care and management of people with epilepsy. For example, we have:
	Provided funding to the Joint Epilepsy Council (JEC) to develop a "National Statement of Good Practice for the Treatment and Care of People who have Epilepsy", which was published in May 2002. The statement makes a series of recommendations for good quality epilepsy services. It is intended to facilitate commissioning and will be of use to NHS purchasers, providers and service users.
	Asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a clinical guideline (due in summer 2004) for the diagnosis, management and treatment of epilepsy to help address widespread variations in clinical practice and contribute to the improvement of services. This will be supported by a technology appraisal (due autumn 2003) of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new anti-epileptic drugs in children and adults, to help promote appropriate uptake and equitable access.
	Announced that the national service framework (NSF) for long term conditions is expected to develop standards of care for specific neurological conditions, including epilepsy. The NSF is expected to be published in 2004. Implementation is expected to start from 2005.
	Developed the expert patients programme, which aims to provide training in self-management skills for people with long term chronic conditions. The first pilot phase will include people with epilepsy.
	Provided funding to the national society for epilepsy for its living well project. The project aims to promote independent living by providing locally based short-term courses for people with epilepsy to develop self-help and self-management techniques.

Care Records

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, under standard 16 of the National Care Standards, it is compulsory for receivers of care to complete daily records which can be accessed by other people; and what mechanisms are in place to accommodate those who, on grounds of privacy, refuse to do so.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 June 2002
	Standard 16 of the domiciliary care national minimum standards (consultation version) states that it is not compulsory for the service user to keep records. The requirement is for the service provider to keep records.

Drug Addicts

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is for drug addicts for residential rehabilitation; and what he expects the waiting time to be in two years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 20 June 2002
	Estimated figures for waiting times for residential rehabilitation from referral to initial consultation are shown in the table. Figures for other treatment modalities are provided as a comparison. These figures were compiled to assist the national treatment agency in setting targets for reducing overall waiting times and are the latest currently available. Figures for 2000–01 are currently being collated and will be available shortly.
	The targets for treatment services are shown in the table. This information relates to the local authority area, not for each individual agency.
	
		
			  Average baseline waiting time (weeks) Maximum acceptable length of wait (weeks) 
			 Treatment modality  1999–2000 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 In-patient detoxification 6.1 4 2 
			 Community prescribing—specialist 10.2 6 3 
			 Community prescribing—GPs 5 4 2 
			 Structured counselling 4 4 2 
			 Structured day care programme 3.3 4 3 
			 Residential rehabilitation 5.4 4 3 
		
	
	The information that is available to the Government is the longest wait for different modalities of treatment in each drug action teams area. DAT reported these figures in December 2001 as part of the routine planning process for treatment at local level. The national treatment agency will publish more comprehensive data later this year.

Care Home Patients

David Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents aged over 65 were in (a) local authority, (b) independent residential, (c) independent nursing and (d) independent dual registered homes (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of the population aged over 65 in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 June 2002
	Information on the number of residents in care homes is not readily available. The available information is provided in Tables 1 and 2.
	
		Table 1: Registered care places for older people(27), as at 31 March (rounded numbers)
		
			   Total Local authority staffed homes Independent residential care homes(28) Independent nursing care homes(29) Independent dual registered care homes(30) 
		
		
			 1995(31) 407,680 62,440 176,560 155,210 13,460 
			 1996(31) 412,450 60,160 176,950 158,750 16,600 
			 1997(31) 415,060 54,680 183,390 153,440 23,540 
			 1998 428,230 52,730 186,730 159,620 29,140 
			 1999 418,040 49,110 185,270 152,940 30,710 
			 2000 412,450 45,210 183,250 149,020 34,970 
			 2001 401,980 41,830 182,470 141,920 35,770 
		
	
	(27) Includes places for older mentally infirm people.
	(28) Includes residential care beds in small homes (less than four places).
	(29) Excludes registered nursing beds in private hospitals and clinics.
	(30) Registered residential care places only.
	(31) Information on nursing beds relates to registered beds during the period 1 October (of the previous year) to 31 March each year.
	Source:
	Department of Health's annual returns
	
		Table 2: Registered care places for older people as a percentage of population aged over 65, as at 31 March -- Percentage
		
			  Total Local authority staffed homes Independent residential care homes(32) Independent nursing care homes(33) Independent dual registered care homes(34) 
		
		
			 1995(35) 5.3 0.8 2.3 2.0 0.2 
			 1996 5.3 0.8 2.3 2.0 0.2 
			 1997 5.3 0.7 2.4 2.0 0.3 
			 1998 5.5 0.7 2.4 2.1 0.4 
			 1999 5.4 0.6 2.4 2.0 0.4 
			 2000 5.3 0.6 2.3 1.9 0.4 
			 2001 5.1 0.5 2.3 1.8 0.5 
		
	
	(32) Includes residential care beds in small homes (less than four places).
	(33) Excludes registered nursing beds in private hospitals and clinics.
	(34) Registered residential care places only.
	(35) Information on nursing beds relates to registered beds during the period 1 October (of the previous year) to 31 March each year.
	Source:
	Department of Health's annual returns